LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 

AT  URBANA-CHAMPAIGN 


977.3793 

W15h 


I.H.S. 


LlNOlb 


mmm 


JOHN  A.  WALL. 


WALL'S  HISTORY 


OF 


JEFFERSON  COUNTY 

ILLINOIS 


By  JOHN  A.  WALL 


ILLUSTRATED 


B.  F.  BOWEN  (&  COMPANY,  PUBLISHERS 
INDIANAPOLIS,  INDIANA 

1909 


VV  \  ^  H 


PUBLISHERS'   PREFACE 


All  life  and  achievement  is  evolution;  present  wisdom  comes 
from  past  experience,  and  present  commercial  prosperity  has  come 
only  from  past  exertion  and  suffering.  The  deeds  and  motives  of 
the  men  that  have  gene  before  have  been  instrumental  in  shaping 
the  destinies  of  later  communities  and  states.  The  development  of 
a  new  country  was  at  once  a  task  and  a  privilege.  It  required  great 
courage,  sacrifice  and  privation.  Compare  the  present  conditions 
of  the  residents  of  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  with  what  they  were 
one  hundred  years  ago.  From  a  trackless  wilderness  and  virgin 
prairie  it  has  come  to  be  a  center  of  prosperity  and  civilization,  with 
millions  of  wealth,  systems  of  intersecting  railways,  grand  educa- 
tional institutions,  marvelous  industries  and  immense  agricultural 
productions.  Can  any  thinking  person  be  insensible  to  the  fascina- 
tion of  the  study  which  discloses  the  incentives,  hopes,  aspirations 
and  efforts  of  the  early  pioneers  who  so  strongly  laid  the  foundation 
upon  which  has  been  reared  the  magnificent  prosperity  of  later  days? 
To  perpetuate  the  story  of  these  people  and  to  trace  and  record  the 
social,  political  and  industrial  progress  of  the  community  from  its 
first  inception  is  the  function  of  the  local  historian.  A  sincere  pur- 
pose to  preserve  facts  and  personal  memoirs  that  are  deserving  of 
preservation,  and  which  unite  the  present  to  the  past  is  the  motive 
for  the  present  publication.  The  work  has  been  in  the  hands  of 
able  writers,  who  have,  after  much  patient  study  and  research, 
produced  here  the  most  complete  biographical  memoirs  of  Jeffer- 
son county,  Illinois,  ever  offered  to  the  public.     A  specially  valu- 


able  and  interesting  department  is  that  one  devoted  to  the  sketches 
of  representative  citizens  of  this  county  whose  records  deserve  per- 
petuation because  of  their  worth,  effort  and  accomplishment.  The 
publishers  desire  to  extend  their  thanks  to  these  gentlemen  who  have 
so  faithfully  labored  to  this  end.  Thanks  are  also  due  to  the  citizens 
of  Jefferson  county  for  the  uniform  kindness  with  v/hich  they  have 
regarded  this  undertaking,  and  for  their  many  services  rendered 
in  the  gaining  of  necessary  information. 

In  placing  "Wall's  History  of  Jefferson  County,  Illinois,"  be- 
fore the  citizens,  the  publishers  can  conscientiously  claim  that  they 
have  carried  out  the  plan  as  outlined  in  the  prospectus.  Every 
biographical  sketch  in  the  work  has  been  submitted  to  the  party  in- 
terested, for  correction,  and  therefore  any  error  of  fact,  if  there  be 
any,  is  solely  due  to  the  person  for  whom  the  sketch  was  prepared. 
Confident  that  our  efforts  to  please  will  fully  meet  the  approbation 
of  the  public,  we  are. 

Respectfully, 

The  Publishers. 


EDITOR'S  STATEMENT 


Having  been  a  citizen  of  Jefferson  County  and  Mount  Vernon 
since  the  Presidential  campaign  of  1840,  when  WiUiam  Henry 
Harrison  was  elected,  and  having  accepted  a  request  of  Messrs. 
B.  F.  Bowen  and  Company,  to  edit  a  plain,  succinct  History  Qi  Jef- 
ferson County,  I  naturally  desired  to  make  it  as  complete  as  possible 
and  have  taken  pains  to  arrive  at  the  facts  and  give  the  pioneers  of 
the  county  the  praise  due  them  by  a  gratefulposterity.  We  have  also 
tried  to  give  proper  credit  to  those  who  have  from  time  to  time  dur- 
ing the  century,  striven  to  keep  the  moral  trend  of  the  county  upward. 
The  history  of  a  county  is  best  told  in  the  lives  of  its  people.  It 
is  safe  to  say  that  the  life  of  every  good  citizen  is  a  lesson  that 
should  not  be  lost  to  those  who  follow.  The  good  man  who  pur- 
sues the  even  tenor  of  his  way,  not  seeking  the  applause  of  men — 
always  seeking  to  do  the  right  thing  at  the  right  time  and  in  the 
right  way  is  the  man  who  deserves  a  place  in  our  history  and  we  have 
carefully  sought  these  characters  that  we  might  place  their  names  m 
our  Jefferson  County  History.  "They  have  done  what  they  could." 
It  has  been  our  desire  to  make  this  volume  a  prized  treasure  to 
this  and  succeeding  generations  because  of  the  facts  contained  in  it, 
and  in  view  of  this,  we  have  gratefully  accepted  the  aid  given  by 
many  old  timers,  from  their  recollections  of  the  "long  ago."  We 
have  drawn  liberally  from  the  writing  of  our  old-time  friend.  Dr. 
Adam  C.  Johnson,  the  old  Jefferson  county  historian,  without 
which  this  history  would  be  incomplete.  History  cannot  be 
changed  and  the  only  change  we  have  made  is  to  state  the  facts  in 


our  own  simple  way.  Kindly  thanking  one  and  all  for  the  assistance 
rendered,  we  can  but  breathe  a  fervent  prayer  that  we  may  all 
meet  in  the  grand  reunion  in  the  sweet  beyond,  where  we  may  meet 
those  noble  spirits  gone  before  and  talk  over  "Old  Times."  away 
back  in  old  Jefferson.  "With  malice  toward  none,  but  with  charity 
for  all,"  we  herewith  present  the  reader  with  the  result  of  our  labors 
in  trying  to  bring  the  main  features  of  Jefferson  county  history  down 
to  the  present  date. 

John  A.  Wall. 


INDEX. 


HISTORICAL 


A  Dream   309 

Agricultural    Societies    223 

Albright,  J 112 

Anderson,   Stinson    H 58 

Appellate   Court    103 

A  Word   to  the  Boys  of  Today..  323 

Baker,  John 116 

Bald   Hill   Township    '. 1S8 

Banks  and   Banking    253 

Bar,    The    103 

Barretts,    The    233 

Barrett,  Joshua  P 2SV 

Baugh  Family   87 

Beecher,  Judge  Edwin   107 

Benevolent  Orders   160 

Bigotry  vs.  Fanaticism  32V 

Blair,   William    C 114 

Black  Hawk  War  113 

Blissville    Township    187 

Building  Materials   44 

Cahokias    20 

Carpenter,  Robert    115 

Casey  Family  79 

Casey,   Lewis   F 108 

Casey,  Judge  T.  S 106 

Casey,    Zadok    55 

Casner  Township   186 

Child  Lost  289 

Church  History  143 

Civil  War   121 

Clark,  Col.  George  Rogers   21 

Clifford,  Rev.  Zenas    287 

Closing  Scene    332 

Coal 42 

County  Officers   48 

County  Seat,  Selection  of 31 

Courts 103 

Crews,  Seth  P 109 

Cyclone,  The    219 


Dodds    Township    194 

Dry   Summers    297 

Early  Settlers   53 

Educational    Statistics    141 

Egyptian  Torchlight 166 

Eightieth  Regiment   127 

Elk  Prairie  Township  192 

Exponent,   The    168 

Farthing,  Robert  M 116 

Farrington   Township    196 

Fairs,  County   223 

Fergerson,   J.    E 232 

Field   Township    193 

First  Balloon  in  Jefferson  County.  208 

First  Public  Buildings    33 

Formation  of  Jefferson  County  ..     24,, 

Formative    Period    17 

Fortieth    Regiment    123 

Forty-fourth    Regiment    123 

Forty-ninth   Illinois    125 

G.    A.    R.,    The    227 

Geology    41 

Gibson,    Sam    232 

Government  Experiment  Station..   325 
Government  of  Jefferson  County..  184 

Grand    Prairie    Township    185 

Grants  to  the  Railroad 97 

Great  Droughts  297 

Green,  A.  M 109 

Green,  William   H.,  Sr 108 

Green,   William   H 113 

Happenings  From  Way-Back   284 

Harriss,   C.  W 114 

Havnes,  George  M Ill 

Hicks,  Col 112 

Hill,  John   H 286 

Historical   Incident    213 


INDEX 


Historical  Items   ^'^0 

Hobbs,   Thomas   H 232 

Horticultural    Societies    223 

Identity  or  Personality    32G 

mini    ly 

Illinois  Admitted  to  the  Union  . .  24 

Illinois   Chronologically    25 

Improvements    35 

Irrigation  325 

Jefferson   County    41 

Jefferson  Democrat   169 

Johnson   Family    83 

Johnston,  Edward   N 69 

Johnston.  Noah   6') 

Joy,  Rev.   Epliriam    ■.  286 


Oldest  Settlers    

Old   Settlers'   Associations    

One  on  General  Anderson    

One    Hundred    Tenth   Regiment.. 

Optimistic   

Ore,    George    L 

Organization  of  Jefferson  County. 


Kaskaskia,  Old 
Keller,    C.    A.    . 


20 
109 


Last  o£  the   Mohicans    309 

Later  Dates    276 

Leonard.  George  B 110 

Living   Too   Fast    324 

Location  Jefferson   County    41 

Love    and    the   Law    267 

McAtee,   Edward    23t) 

McClellan  Township   192 

Maxeys.   The    •• . . .     82 

Medical  Fraternity  201 

Merchants   237 

Mexican  War  120 

Military  History    118 

Mineral    Resources    4^; 

Morrison,  Bob   112 

More  About  Old   Settlers    77 

Morn,  Noon  and  Night 333 

Moore's  Prairie  Township  199 

Moss,   Norman   H 116 

Moss,  Ransom   231 

Mound  Builders 17 

Mount  Vernon    33-37-62-70 

Mount  Vernon's  Guardian   166 

Mount  Vernon's  Great  Cyclone  . .  215 

Mount  Vernon  of  Today   314 

Mount  Vernon   Township    194 

Mount  Vernon   240 

Myths  Exploded    263 

Nelson,  Richard  S 109 

News,   The    167 

Nuggets  Picked  Up  by  the  Way- 
side     284 

Old  Folks'  Reunion 225 


Pace   Family    

Pace  Family  Reunion 

Pace,  James   M 

Pace,  William  T 

Patton,  C.  H 

Pavey,   Gen.   C.   W.    . . 

Peavler,  Eugene   

Pendleton  Township   . 

Physicians  

Pierce,   Jarvis    

Piercy,  Norman  A.  . . . 

Pioneer  School    

Politics  

Pollock,  James  L.    ... 
Pollock,  James  M.   . . . 

Pollock,  W.   C 

Postofflces     

Practical    Abolition    . . 

Preston,  Finney 

Press,  The  

Progressive   Farmer    . 
Public  Buildings   


Railroads    

Reunions    

Roads,    First    

Roll    of    Honor    

Roll  of  Honor  Especial 

Rome  Township    

Runaway    Slaves    


Sacred  Holidays   

Satterfield,  Judge  J.  R. 

Satterfield,  E.   V 

Scates,  Walter   B 

Schools  in  the  County 

Schools  of  the  Present  Day 

Schools  in  Town   

Schools   in   Mount  Vernon    

Schul,   Conrad    

Seat  of  Justice,  The  Permanent.. 

Second  Court  House   

Shiloh   Township    

Sixtieth  Regiment    

Smith,  Kirby   

Social   Converse    

Soil,  Products,  etc 

Soldiers'  Reunions   

Spanish-American  War    


230 
225 
285 
128 
330 
116 
47 

SS 
226 
111 
113 
110 
228 
114 
198 
201 
233 
116 
132 
172 
115 
110 
110 
240 
288 
112 
163 
170 

34 

95 
223 

91 
300 
302 
189 
288 

257 
231 
112 
104 
134 
132 
135 
132 
115 
64 
73 
190 
126 
115 
257 
45 
228 
130 


INDEX 


Spring  Garden  Township  195 

Stratton,   S.   T 232 

Supreme  Court   lUS 

"  Tanner,   Tazewell  B 105 

Telegraph  and  Telephone  246 

Temperance  Work  in  Mount  Ver- 
non      154 

Thatcher,  John  R 286 

The  New  Year   264 

Then  and  Now   314 

ToUe,  James   B 236 

Tribute   to   Woman    26b 

Tromley  Family   233 

Turning  Over  a  New  Leaf    265 


Virginia     Ceded     to    the     United 
States  IS 

Wall,    John   A 335 

War  of  1812   118 

War  for  the  Union  121 

Warrens,  The    233 

Watson    Family    85 

Watson,  Albert   113 

Watson,  Asa    296 

Watson,  Joel  F 113 

Water  43 

Webber  Township    197 

Webb,  A.  D 114 

White,  W.  N Ill 

Wilbanks,  R.  A.  D Ill 

Wright,  Greenbury  112 


BIOGRAPHICAL 


Allen,  James  A 494 

Allen,  John  R 412 

Arendale,  D.  H.,  M.  D 446 

Arthurs,  W.  C 431 

Baugh,  Joel  V 440 

Beck,  J.  0 615 

Blair,  Hon.  William  C 560 

Bogan,    John    Stewart    408 

Bray,  Harry  F 421 

Brumbaugh,  Beechworth   457 

Casey,   Wesley   B 500 

Chaney,  W.  S 532 

Cooper,   Samuel  D 590 

Emmerson,  Louis  L 508 

Fairchild,   George   Warren    605 

Farmer,  Frank   P 477 

French,    Arthur   T 592 

Gee,  Isaac   G.,  M.   D 505 

Gilmore,  Wilbur  H 573 

Gilbert,  Gale  G 416 

Green,   George   E 583 

Green,  Hon.  William  H 397 

Hall,   Andy,   M.   D 518 

Ham,  Christopher  D 399 

Ham,  Sidney  Breese   38V 

Hamilton,    J.    W 577 


Harriss,    Clarence    W 471 

Hinman,  Robert  N 438 

Holstlaw,   Thomas   J 544 

Highsmith,  George  W 529 

Hutchison,  John   L 487 

Irvin,  Grant   594 

Keller,  Charlie   R 404 

Kingman,  H.  R 571 

Marshall,   B.    A 581 

Marteeny,  Elijah  H 374 

Mathews,  Thomas  J 599 

Maxey,  James  C 356 

Maxey,   James   H 513 

Maxey,  Moss,  M.  D 382 

Maxey,  Walter  S 372 

Maxey,  William  H 542 

Maxey,  Capt.   Samuel  T 359 

Maynor,  W^illis  D 489 

Millspaugh,   A.    C 466 

Moss,   Capt.   John   R 425 

Moss,  Hon.  Norman  H 346 

Ore.  George  L 547 

Owen,  William  L 485 

Pace  Family    339 

Pace,  James  M 342 

Pace,  William  T 343 

Patton,  Charles  H 391 

Pavey,  Gen.  Charles  W 596 


INDEX 


Pavey,  Louis  G 575 

Peavler.   Eugene   M 585 

Peters,  E.  W 455 

Pettit,    Jasper    N 453 

Phillips.  W.  B 554 

Poole.  Charles  J 459 

Rainey.  John  L 496 

Reece,  William  C 534 

Reichel.  Louis  F 463 

Rivenburgh,   Alexander    558 

Seed,   Maurice  J 367 

Schul,  Conrad 388 

Simmons,  Joseph  W 503 

Snyder,    Frank    449 

Stratton,  Rynd   L 612 

Tipton,   John    523 


Turner,   J.   T 353 

Walker,  Elbert  M 491 

Ward.  George  F.  M 515 

Watson.    Fred    P 601 

Watson.  Hon.  James  H 536 

Watson,  Samuel  H 607 

Webb.  Hon.  Andrew  Duff 567 

Webb.   Williamson   C 538 

Weber,  R.   K 525 

Welborn,  Hon.  George  B 464 

Whitlock,  John  T.,  M.  D 473 

Williams,  Curtis   545 

Williams,   Hon.   William   B 550 

Williamson.  Thomas  B.,  M.  D.  ...   476 

Willis,  John  J 540 

Willis,  Wilton  C 564 

Wilson,  Albert  480 

Winn,  James  R 442 


CHAPTER  I. 

FORMATIVE  PERIOD. 

Reaching  Far  Back  of  the  Time  When  Illinois  was  Made  a 
State  of  the  Glorious  Union. 

All  life  is  toil;  what  is  its  fruitage? 
"Learn  to  labor  and  to  wait." 

Many  pages  even  of  a  county  history  might  be  taken  up  in 
giving  the  "history  of  the  Wild,"  so  to  speak,  but  as  our  mission  is 
to  give  a  true  and  succinct  History  of  Jefferson  county,  we  shall 
but  briefly  refer  to  what  took  place  in  this  "realm  of  Greatness," 
back  of  the  coming  of  the  white  man,  which  may  justly  be  called 
the  Formative  Period.  The  Mound  Builders,  no  doubt,  preceded 
the  Indians  in  the  occupation  of  this  western  country,  but  we  have 
no  knowledge  of  them,  except  that  we  have  some  mounds  and  the 
relics  found  in  them  still  remain.  Then  the  Indians — how  long 
they  were  here  before  the  country  was  discovered,  we  will  not  at- 
tempt to  say.  The  first  settlers  aside  from  the  Mound  Builders  and 
the  Indians  were  the  French,  afterward  the  British  and  then  the 
pioneer  Americans.  As  the  territory  composing  Jefferson  county 
was  not  the  abiding  place  of  the  Mound  Builders  nor  the  Indians, 
except  as  they  roamed  through  the  woods,  we  will  not  undertake 
to  tell  all  about  them,  but  will  hasten  on  to  the  more  important 
work  in  hand. 

At  the  breaking  out  of    the    Revolutionary    war,  the  entire 


18  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

West  was  under  British  control.  Patrick  Henry,  who  was  Gov- 
ernor of  Virginia,  gave  General  George  Rogers  Clark  authority  to 
recruit  several  companies  of  Americans  to  capture  the  northwest 
country,  a  big  undertaking,  but  a  big  man  in  command  of  other 
big  men  to  accomplish  the  task.  He  recruited  his  men  in  Kentucky 
and  set  out  on  his  mission.  He  arrived  at  Kaskaskia,  July  4,  1  778, 
and  captured  the  fort  and  the  town  without  the  loss  of  a  man. 
Assuring  the  French,  who  had  a  large  church  there,  that  they  were 
at  liberty  to  worship  God  as  they  pleased,  they  gladly  took  the 
oath  of  allegiance,  and  many  of  them  joined  Clark's  band  and 
went  with  him  to  capture  Cahokia,  which  was  speedily  done. 
Clark  then  with  his  band  threaded  his  way  through  the  dense 
woods  of  Southern  Illinois,  to  Vincennes  on  the  Wabash,  which 
was  also  captured.  Clark's  expedition  is  believed  to  have  passed 
through  what  is  now  the  southern  part  of  Jefferson  county,  al- 
though there  was  no  trail  of  any  kind  at  that  time.  With  the  cap- 
ture of  these  three  British  posts,  Illinois  territory  passed  into  the 
possession  of  Virginia. 

In  1874  Virginia  ceded  to  the  United  States  the  Northwest- 
ern Territory,  which  embraced  all  the  lands  lying  between  the 
Ohio  and  Mississippi  rivers,  including  Illinois.  It  embraced  what 
is  now  the  great  states  of  Illinois,  Indiana,  Ohio,  Michigan.  Wis- 
consin and  the  part  of  Minnesota  lying  east  of  the  Mississippi  river, 
and  the  Mississippi  river  was  then  the  western  border  of  the  United 
States.  This  territory  was  called  the  "New  Northwest,"  and  in- 
cluded an  area  of  one  million  eight  hundred  eighty-seven  thousand 
and  eight  hundred  and  fifty  square  miles — greater  in  extent  than 
the  united  areas  of  all  the  Middle  and  Southern  states,  including 
Texas.  Out  of  this  magnificent  territory  has  been  erected  fifteen 
sovereign  states  and  two  territories,  with  an  aggregate  population 
at  the  present  time  of  about  twenty-five  million  inhabitants  or  nearly 


WALLS  HISTORY  OF  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  19 

a  third  of  the  entire  population  of  the  United  States,  and  wealth 
untold.  See  what  wonderful  possibilities  confronted  the  early 
settlers  as  they  came  to  this  wild  and  wooly  West!  Of  course  vol- 
umes might  be  written  about  this  great  body  of  country,  but  we 
must  hasten  on.  But,  not  without  referring  to  the  act  of  Congress 
organizmg  the  territory,  excluding  slavery  and  dedicating  it  to  free- 
dom and  free  schools  proclaiming  that  religion,  morality  and  knowl- 
edge being  necessary  to  good  government  and  the  happiness  of 
mankind,  schools  and  the  means  of  knowledge  shall  ever  be  en- 
couraged. Even  in  the  face  of  this  a  desperate  effort  was  made  to 
make  Illinois  a  slave  state,  and  for  a  while  Illinois  was  the  battle- 
field of  the  irrepressible  conflict.  The  southern  part  of  the  state 
was  largely  made  up  of  southerners  and  they  considered  the  east- 
erners or  Yankees  as  a  skinning,  tricky,  penurious  race  of  peddlers, 
filling  the  country  with  tinware,  brass-clocks  and  wooden  nutmegs. 
And  the  easterners,  who  crowded  in  the  north  part  of  the  state, 
seemed  to  think  the  southerners  as  lean,  lanky,  lazy  creatures, 
wanting  slaves  to  do  all  their  work — and  here  is  where  the  "irre- 
pressible conflict"  came  in,  but  under  the  guiding  hand  of  Provi- 
dence the  "New  Northwest,"  was  forever  dedicated  to  freedom. 
It  is  impossible  to  forecast  the  destiny  of  this  grand  and  glorious 
section  of  the  Union.  Predictions  made  even  now  might  seem 
twenty  years  hence  so  ludicrously  small  as  to  only  excite  derision, 
hence  we  leave  it  to  the  future  historians  to  tell  of  its  wonderful 
development. 

The  name  of  this  beautiful  Prairie  state  is  derived  from  Illini, 
a  Delaware  Indian  word  signifying  "Superior  Men,"  and  we  are 
not  disposed  to  object  to  the  imputation.  The  Indians  occupying 
Southern  Illinois  when  the  white  men  came  were  the  Delawares, 
the  Kickapoos,  the  Shawnees  and  the  Piankeshaws.  None  of 
these  were  especially  savage  or  troublesome    to    our  first  settlers. 


20  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

Occasionally  roving  bands  came  in  to  hunt  and  trade.  They  carried 
their  pelts  to  Shawneetown,  Kaskaskia  or  St.  Louis,  bringing  back 
articles  which  they  traded  to  the  whites.  A  great  many  Indians 
passed  through  the  county,  sometimes  camping  and  hunting,  but 
never  remamed  long  at  a  time. 

The  first  European  discoveries  in  what  is  now  Illinois  date 
back  over  two  hundred  years.  Old  Kaskaskia  was  settled  as  early 
as  1690  by  the  French,  and  Cahokia  was  inhabited  even  before 
that.  Away  back  of  this,  in  1 682,  Illinois  was  a  possession  of  the 
French,  and  it  was  then  that  the  French  obtained  such  a  foothold  in 
the  territory  that  the  French  and  Indians  were  finally  brought  to 
war.  In  1 765  the  same  territory  was  counted  as  a  treasure  of 
Great  Britain,  but  a  few  years  later.  Gen.  George  Rogers 
Clark  captured  it  from  the  British,  and  here  we  have  the  connecting 
link,  or  formative  period,  that  brings  Illinois  and  Jefferson  county 
down  from  the  Mound  Builders  to  the  Indians,  from  the  Indians 
to  the  French,  from  the  French  to  the  British  and  from  the  British 
to  Virginia,  from  Virginia  to  the  United  States  and  from  the  United 
States  to  itself — grand  old  Illinois,  fifty-five  thousand  four  hundred 
and  ten  square  miles  of  territory — one  hundred  and  ninety  miles 
wide,  four  hundred  miles  long,  stretching  in  latitude  from  Maine 
to  North  Carolina,  embracing  a  climate  that  varies  from  the  lakes 
on  the  north  almost  to  the  orange  groves  of  the  South — being  a 
tableland  from  six  hundred  to  one  thousand  two  hundred  feet 
above  the  sea — a  free  state  without  a  peer.  It  is  in  the  heart  of 
the  greatest  valley  in  the  world,  the  vast  regions  between  the 
mountains — a  valley  that  could  feed  mankind  for  a  thousand  years. 
It  has  sixty-five  miles  of  frontage  on  the  lakes — the  fresh  water 
seas  of  the  north — the  Father  of  Waters  forming  the  entire 
western  boundary,  with  the  Ohio  river  on  its  southern  boundary, 
and   the   Wabash   river   on   the   east,   and   the   Illinois   river   and 


WALL'S  HISTORY  OF  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  21 

canal  dividing  the  state  diagonally  from  the  lakes  to  the  lower 
Mississippi,  and  embracing  the  Rock,  Sangamon,  Okaw,  Skil- 
let Fork,  Big  Muddy  and  other  streams,  furnishing  altogether 
two  thousand  miles  of  water  front  connecting  and  running 
through,  in  all  about  twelve  thousand  miles  of  navigable  water, 
with  miles  of  railroad  more  than  any  other  state,  with  a  soil  full  of 
bread  and  the  earth  rich  with  minerals — an  upper  surface  of  food 
and  an  under  layer  of  fuel,  and  controlling  the  greatest  grain, 
cattle,  pork  and  lumber  markets  in  the  world,  no  wonder  the  people 
become  infatuated  with  this  glorious  state  of  Illinois.  We  only  re- 
gret that  we  cannot  devote  more  time  to  its  history,  but  it  is  so 
grand,  so  glorious  that  we  feel  impelled  to  carry  it  into  the  next 
chapter,  and  finish  there.  We  have  thus  given  a  brief  space  to 
Illinois,  because  it  is  in  name  a  little  older  than  Jefferson  county, 
and  as  a  territory  several  years  older,  but  in  the  beginning  was  Jef- 
ferson county  all  the  same,  the  land,  the  prairie,  the  woodlands  and 
the  streams,  just  as  when  the  pioneer  came  to  live  in  it  and  make  it 
bloom  and  blossom  as  the  rose  and  it  is  the  same  Jefferson  county 
today,  notwithstanding  a  slight  change  in  the  personnel  of  her 
population. 

COL.  GEORGE  ROGERS  CLARK's  GREAT  AND  BLOODLESS  VICTORIES. 

Colonel  George  Rogers  Clark  and  his  brave  army  of  less  than 
two  hundred  men  left  Kaskaskia  February  7,  1779.  They  prob- 
ably passed  near  Breemen,  Steeleville  and  Percy,  entering  Perry 
county  and  passing  where  Cutler,  Bernard,  Conant  and  Pinckney- 
ville  now  are,  crossed  into  Jefferson  county  a  few  miles  north  of 
the  southwest  corner,  passing  near  the  Mound,  where  Waltonville 
is  situated,  carrying  axes  and  felling  trees  to  cross  the  streams  as 
they  went.    They  evidently  passed  the  entire  length  of  the  territory. 


22  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

now  composing  the  county,  camped  south  of  Mt.  Vemon,  perhaps 
near  the  Rogers  ford;  passed  out  of  this  county  into  Wayne 
county,  near  Kelns  Skillet  Fork;  passed  through  Arrington  Prairie 
near  Jeffersonville  and  coming  to  what  they  called  the  "two  Wa- 
bashesse,"  but  evidently  the  junction  of  the  Elm  river  with  the  Little 
Wabash,  where  they  manufactured  a  big  canoe  and  crossed  the 
army,  half  dozen  at  a  time.  On  the  sixteenth  they  crossed  the  Bon 
Pass  and  entered  Lawrence  county  at  the  southeast  corner  and 
finally  crossed  the  Big  Wabash  near  St.  Francisville,  and  on  the 
23d  captured  Vincennes  without  firing  a  gun. 

Just  think  of  it,  this  patriotic  intrepid  American,  with  his  one 
hundred  and  seventy-five  braves  in  the  dead  of  winter,  traversing 
this  wilderness,  wading  swamps,  swimming  streams,  camping  in  the 
wildwoods,  with  no  possibility  of  seeing  or  hearing  of  a  human 
being,  unless  it  be  bands  of  savages,  or  perhaps  wild  beasts,  making 
the  trip  without  map  or  compass  from  Kaskaskia  on  the  Mississippi 
river,  to  Vincennes  on  the  Wabash,  a  distance  of  a  little  more  than 
two  hundred  miles,  and  in  doing  so  freed  Illinois,  from  the  domina- 
tion of  not  only  the  hated  British,  but  from  the  savage  red  men, 
and  the  wild  beast  as  well!  The  bloodless  battles  and  results  of 
the  same — of  Col.  George  Rogers  Clark  and  his  braves  stand 
unparalleled  in  the  history  of  warfare. 

And  more  wonderful  still,  that  this  brave  man  and  his  equally 
brave  soldiers,  should  have  trod  the  soil  of  old  Jefferson  county 
one  hundred  and  thirty  years  ago,  before  any  white  man  had  ever 
passed  this  way — long  before  the  Caseys,  the  Maxeys,  the  John- 
sons, and  other  pioneers  had  ever  thought  of  coming  into  these 
virgin  wilds.  Truly,  when  men  put  themselves  in  the  hands  of 
Providence  for  the  accomplishment  of  great  purposes,  wonderful 
results  are  sure  to  follow. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  23 

"God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way. 

His  wonders  to  perform, 
He  plants  His  footsteps  in  the  sea. 

And  rides  upon  the  storm. 

"Trust  not  the  Lord  by  feeble  sense. 
But  trust  Him  for  His  grace; 
Behind  a  frowning  Providence 
He  hides  a  smiling  face." 


CHAPTER  II. 

FORMATIVE  PERIOD — CONTINUED, 

Leading  up  to  the  Admission  of  the  State  of  Illinois,  and  the 
Formation  of  Jefferson  County  and  its  Permanent  Seat  of  Justice — 
Mount  Vernon. 

"Flow  on  with  ever  widening  streams. 
In  every  brightening  morn. 
Our  story's  pride,  our  future's  dream. 
Our  hopes  of  times  unborn." 

The  establishment  of  a  new  empire,  state  or  county,  or  even  a 
town,  a  new  and  legal  home  for  law-abiding  people,  always  has 
a  history  peculiar  to  itself,  and  creates  an  abiding  interest  in  the 
minds  of  those  who  read  and  think,  and  especially  those  who  follow 
in  the  wake  of  advancing  civilization.  And  so  the  settlement  and 
civilization  of  our  great  Prairie  state  of  Illinois  (an  empire  within 
itself)  and  the  various  counties  composing  it,  have  an  ever  widening 
army  of  readers  who  desire  to  know  the  facts  connected  with  the 
bringing  in  of  the  civilization,  prosperity  and  great  advancement 
which  we  now  enjoy  as  a  state  and  community.  To  impart  and 
perpetuate  this  desired  information,  especially  in  regard  to  Jefferson 
county  and  Mount  Vernon,  its  permanent  seat  of  justice,  is  the 
mission  of  this  book. 

Illinois, — even  every  school  boy  knows  that  our  state  of  Il- 
linois was  admitted  into  the  Federal  Union  in  1818,  and  in  the  in- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  25 

tervening  ninety  years  it  has  grown  to  be  the  third  state  in  population 
and  is  excelled  by  none  in  all  that  goes  to  make  up  good  citizenship, 
— in  education,  patriotism,  the  arts  and  sciences,  in  commerce, 
labor,  manufactures  and  agriculture  it  is  unexcelled.  No  wonder 
Illinoisans  are  proud  of  their  great  state,  and  heartily  endorse  the 
sentiment  of  the  poet,  who  says : 

"Not  without  thy  wondrous  story, 
Illinois,  Illinois. 
Could  be  told  the  Nation's  glory, 
Illinois,  Illinois. 

"On  the  record  of  thy  years 

Abraham  Lincoln's  name  appears, 
Grant  and  Logan,  and  our  tears — 
Illinois,  Illinois." 

ILLINOIS  CHRONOLOGICALLY. 

1673 — Illinois  river  explored  by  Joliet. 

1675 — Kaskaskia  Mission  founded  by  Marquette — Claude  Louez 

takes  charge  of  same. 
1 680 — Ft.  St.  Louis  erected  by  LaSalle  on  Starved  Rock. 
1687 — LaSalle  assassinated  in  Texas. 
I  700 — Cahokia  Mission  established. 
1  700 — Kaskaskia  Mission  moved  to  Kaskaskia. 
1717 — Illinois  annexed  to  Louisiana. 
1  7 1 8 — Ft.  Chartress  built  near  Prairie  de  Rocher. 
1  720 — Renault  introduces  African  slaves. 
I  754 — French  and  Indian  war. 
1  758 — Ft.  Massac  erected  by  French. 


26  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

1763 — Illinois  county  and  Canada  ceded  to  English. 

1765 — Ft.  Chartress  surrenders  to  British. 

British  rule  Illinois  from  1  765  to  1  778. 

1  768 — British  court  organized  at  Ft.  Chartress. 

1  769 — Pontiac  assassinated  by  Indian  at  Cahokia. 

1772 — Ft.  Chartress  abandoned  and  Kaskaskia  made  the  capital 
of  Illinois  county. 

1775 — American  Revolution  begins. 

J778 — George  Rogers  Clark    conquers    the    Illinois    county  for 
Virginia. 
Illinois  a  county  of  Virginia. 

1  778 — Illinois  county  "created"  by  Virginia  Legislature. 

1779 — Clark's  expedition  against  Vincennes. 

John  Todd  made  commandant,  headquarters  at  Kaskas- 
kia. 

1783 — Treaty  of  Peace  with  Great  Britain,    recognizes    title  of 
United  States  to  Illinois. 

1784 — Virginia  cedes  Northwestern  Territory  to  United  States. 
Illinois  under  Territorial  Government. 
Massachusetts  cedes  her  claim  to  Illinois. 

1  786 — Connecticut  cedes  her  claim  to  Illinois. 

1790 — Governor  St.  Clair  visits  Kaskaskia;  St.  Clair  county  or- 
ganized. 

1799 — General  Assembly  for  Northwestern  Territory. 
Illinois  sends  two  delegates. 

1800 — Formation  of  Indiana  territory,  including  Illinois. 

1804 — Land  office  located  at  Kaskaskia;  Ft.  Dearborn  erected  at 
Chicago. 

1806 — Burr  conspiracy. 

1809 — Illinois  Territory  organized;    Ninian    Edwards  appointed 
first  Governor. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  27 

1812 — First  session  territorial  Legislature  at  Kaskaskia;  massacre 
at  Ft.  Dearborn;  Madison,  Gallatin  and  Johnson  coun- 
ties created. . 

1816 — Banks  established  at  Shawneetown  and  Edwardsville. 

1817 — First  steamboat  ascends  the  Mississippi  river  above  Cairo. 

1818 — Illinois  admitted  as  a  state;  Shadrack  Bond  first  Governor 
— First  Assembly  at  Kaskaskia. 

1819 — Jefferson  county  formed;  Legislature  provides  for  selecting 
a  new  capital. 

1 820 — State  Capital  removed  to  Vandalia. 

1823 — First  Vandalia  state  house  burned;  act  for  Constitutional 
Convention. 

1824 — Pro-slavery  men  try  but  fail  to  establish  slavery. 

1825 — LaFayette  visits  Illinois;  School  Law  passed. 

1827 — The  first  state  institution — penitentiary  at  Alton. 

1829 — First  college,  at  Jacksonville — The  Illinois. 

1830 — Illinois  is  allowed  three  Congressmen. 

1832— Black  Hawk  war. 

1833 — Chicago  incorporated  as  a  village,  and  the  Democrat,  its 
first  newspaper,  started. 

1835 — McKendree  and  Shurtliff  colleges  incorporated. 

1836 — Old  State  House  at  Vandalia  torn  down  and  rebuilt — 
now  the  Vandalia  court-house. 

1837 — Springfield  made  the  permanent  state  capital. — Lovejoy 
killed  at  Alton  by  pro-slavery  mob. 

1839 — First  daily  paper  in  Chicago — The  American. 

1843 — Legislature  held  at  Springfield;  seven  Congressmen. 

1846 — Lincoln  elected  to  Congress;  constitution  carried. 

1850 — Illinois  Central  Railroad  given  the  best  lands  in  Illinois. 

1852 — Illinois,  nine  Congressmen. 

1856 — Republican  party  organized — Bissell  the  first  Republican 
Governor  elected. 


28  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

1 858 — Celebrated  joint  debates  between  Lincoln  and  Douglas. 
1860 — ^Abraham  Lincoln  elected  President. 

1861 — Illinois,   thirteen   Congressmen — war   declared   against  the 
Union  by  the  Rebel  States — Lincoln  calls  for  volunteers, 
and  four  years  of  war  follows. 
1872 — Illinois  nineteen  Congressmen. 
1 901 -Illinois  twenty-five  Congressmen. 

Events  from  1875  to  the  present  are  too  familiar  with  the 
people  to  be  repeated  here.  These  later  years  will  furnish  food  for 
the  next  historian. 

How  true,  yet  we  esteem  it  a  pleasure  to  go  back  of  these  men 
and  these  days  and  give  honor  to  men  and  women  who  were  equally 
patriotic  and  brave  amid  much  less  encouraging  environments — 
the  pioneers  of  our  civilization.  And  while  we  hold  up  the  first 
settlers  of  Jefferson  county  as  ideals  or  models  in  the  line  of  first 
citizens,  or  pioneers,  we  realize  that  they  are  but  types  of  other  early 
settlers  of  other  counties  of  our  beloved  state  of  Illinois.  Just  a 
few  explanatory  words  will  bring  us  directly  to  our  task.  In  1  778 
the  General  Assembly  of  Virginia  passed  an  act  for  "establishing 
the  county  of  Illinois,"  and  for  "the  more  effectual  protection  and 
defense  thereof."  A  clause  of  that  act  reads:  "That  all  the  citizens 
of  this  commonwealth,  who  are  already  settled  or  may  hereafter 
settle  on  the  western  side  of  the  Ohio  or  the  eastern  side  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi rivers  shall  be  included  in  a  distinct  county,  which  shall  be 
called  "Illinois  County."  By  the  provisions  of  the  act,  the  Gov- 
ernor of  Virginia  appointed  John  Todd,  a  soldier  and  statesman. 
County  Lieutenant  or  Commander  in  Chief  of  Illinois  county,  or 
in  fact,  the  first  civil  governor  of  Illinois.  Todd  afterwards  fell 
mortally  wounded  while  fighting  in  a  battle  with  the  Indians.  So 
it  will  be  seen  that  Illinois  was  at  that  time  a  county  of  Virginia,  a 
fact  that  is  not  generally  known,  by  Illinoisans  of  today. 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  29 

Upon  the  organization  of  the  Northwestern  Territory  Gen. 
Arthur  St.  Clair  was  appointed  Governor.  In  1  790,  in  company 
with  the  territorial  judges,  he  went  to  Cahokia,  where,  by  proclama- 
tion he  organized  the  county  of  St.  Clair,  the  first  individual  county 
formed  in  what  is  now  the  great  state  of  Illinois,  and  its  seat  of 
justice  was  Kaskaskia.  Randolph  was  the  next  county  created  in 
Illinois,  1  795.  At  the  session  of  the  Territorial  Legislature,  1811- 
12,  Madison,  Gallatin  and  Johnson  were  organized,  and  in  1814 
Edwards  was  formed;  in  1816,  White,  Jackson,  Monroe,  Pope 
and  Crawford  were  organized,  and  at  the  session  of  the  next  Legis- 
lature following,  Franklin,  Washington,  Union,  Bond  and  Wayne 
came  into  existence. 

At  the  first  session  after  Illinois  was  admitted  into  the  Union 
(1818),  Jefferson  county  was  formed,  under  the  following  act,  en- 
titled "An  Act  for  forming  a  separate  county  out  of  Edwards  and 
White  counties,  approved,"  March  18,  1819: 

"Be  it  Enacted,  etc.,  That  all  that  tract  of  country  within 
the  following  boundaries  to-wit:  Beginning  where  the  line  between 
ranges  4  and  5  last  intersect  the  base  line;  thence  west  with  said 
line  to  the  third  principal  meridian,  thence  south  twenty-four  miles, 
thence  east  twenty-four  miles,  thence  north  to  the  place  of  begin- 
ning, shall  constitute  a  separate  county  to  be  called  'Jefferson  coun- 
ty,' and  for  the  purpose  of  fixing  the  permanent  seat  of  justice 
therein,  the  following  persons  are  appointed  commissioners:  Am- 
brose Maulding,  Lewis  Barker,  Robert  Shipley,  James  A.  Rich- 
ards and  Richard  Graham,  which  said  commissioners  or  a  majority 
of  them  being  duly  sworn  before  some  judge  or  justice  of  the 
peace  in  this  state,  shall  faithfully  take  into  view  the  convenience  of 
the  people,  the  situation  of  the  settlement,  with  an  eye  to  the  future 
population  and  eligibility  of  the  place  shall  meet  on  the  second 
Monday  of  May  at  the  house    of  William  Casey  in  said  county. 


30  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

and  proceed  to  examine  and  determine  oft  the  place  for  the  perma- 
nent seat  of  justice  and  designate  the  same ;  provided  the  proprietor 
or  proprietors  of  said  land  shall  give  to  the  county  for  the  purpose 
of  erecting  public  buildings  a  quantity  of  land  not  less  than  twenty 
acres  to  be  laid  out  in  lots  and  sold  for  that  purpose ;  but  should  the 
proprietor  or  proprietors  refuse  or  neglect  to  make  the  donation 
aforesaid,  then  and  in  that  case  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  said 
commissioners  to  fix  some  other  place  for  the  seat  of  justice  as  con- 
venient as  may  be  to  the  inhabitants  of  said  county  which  place 
fixed  and  determined  upon,  the  Commissioners  shall  certify  under 
their  hands  and  seals  and  return  the  same  to  the  next  commissioners' 
court  in  the  county  aforesaid,  which  court  shall  cause  an  entry 
thereof  to  be  made  in  their  books  of  record,  and  until  the  public 
buildings  be  erected  the  courts  shall  be  held  at  the  house  of  William 
Casey,  in  said  county. 

"Section  3.  Be  it  Enacted,  etc..  That  the  citizens  of  Jef- 
ferson county  are  hereby  declared  entitled  in  all  respects  to  the 
same  rights  and  privileges  as  are  allowed  in  general  with  the  other 
counties  of  this  state. 

"Section  4.  Ordered  that  Jefferson  county  should  vote  in 
conjunction  with  White  county  for  members  of  the  General  As- 
sembly and  section  5,  says  Jefferson  county  shall  compose  part  of 
the  second  Judicial  Circuit  and  courts  shall  be  held  therein  at  such 
time  as  specified  by  law." 

And  a  supplemental  act  said:  That  all  that  tract  or  part  of 
county  laying  north  of  the  county  of  Jefferson  and  west  of  Wayne, 
and  not  included  in  the  limits  of  said  countiesof  Jefferson  and  Wayne 
established  by  the  act  to  which  this  is  a  supplement,  be  one  and  the 
same,  is  hereby  attached  to  and  becomes  a  part  of  the  said  Jefferson 
county,  and  that  the  inhabitants  thereof  have  and  enjoy  all  the 
rights  and  privileges,  as  far  as  may  be,  that  inhabitants  of  Jefferson 
have  and  enjoy. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  31 

March  30th,  an  act  was  passed  authorizing  Lewis  Watkins  to 
administer  the  required  oaths  to  all  officers  of  the  county,  and  or- 
dering that  an  election  for  County  Commissioners,  Sheriff  and  Cor- 
oner be  held  on  the  4th  day  of  March  or  April. 

In  pursuance  to  this  act  an  election  was  held  at  the  house  of 
William  Casey,  which  stood  where  the  old  Johnson  House  or  brick 
hotel  now  stands;  forty  votes  were  cast  and  Zadok  Casey,  Joseph 
Jordan  and  Fleming  Greenwood  were  elected  Commissioners,  and 
met  at  William  Casey's  June  7th,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing — be- 
ing sworn  in  by  Watkins.  The  court  appointed  Joel  Pace  County 
Clerk,  and  he  gave  bond  of  one  thousand  dollars  with  James  Kelly 
and  Isaac  Casey,  as  securities,  and  now  the  court  was  ready  for 
business. 

The  selection  of  a  seat  of  justice  or  county  seat  was  first  in 
order  and  the  Commissioners  appointed  by  the  act  quoted  above  for 
that  purpose  made  their  report  as  follows:  Having  been  appointed 
by  act  of  the  General  Assembly,  to  select  and  fix  a  seat  of  justice 
in  and  for  Jefferson  county,  we,  Lewis  Barker,  Ambrose  Maulding 
and  James  A.  Richardson,  met  at  the  house  of  William  Casey  for 
the  purpose  aforesaid,  and  after  being  duly  sworn,  proceeded  and 
determined  and  settled  upon  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  29, 
range  3,  of  township  3,  on  the  land  owned  by  William  Casey,  the 
town  to  be  laid  off  in  the  southwest  corner  of  said  quarter,  to  begin 
near  the  timber  on  a  point  not  far  distant  from  Casey's  house,  and 
thence  to  the  foot  of  the  descent  on  a  point  on  which  Casey's  house 
stands,  or  in  such  manner  as  said  County  Commissioners  shall 
designate. 

Signed,  by  James  A.  Richardson,  Ambrose  Maulding  and 
Lewis  Barker,  Commissioners. 

This  report  was  accompanied  by  a  paper  signed  by  William 
Casey,  in  which  he  donated  twenty  acres  of  land  to  be  laid  off  in 


32  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL. 

town  lots  and  sold  for  the  purpose  of  paying  for  public  buildings  in 
the  county  of  Jefferson,  which  twenty  acres  shall  be  laid  off  by  the 
County  Commissioners  on  land  designated  by  the  commissioners 
appointed  to  fix  the  permanent  seat  of  justice  for  Jefferson  county. 
N.  B. — Provided  that  such  commissioner  shall  lay  off  said 
town  so  as  not  to  include  said  Casey's  house  and  farm. 


CHAPTER  III. 

MOUNT  VERNON. 

The  Name  Chosen  for  the  Seat  of  Justice — First  Public 
Buildings,  etc. 

"O,  those  blessed  times  of  old!  With  their  chivalry  and 

their  state; 
I  love  to  read  their  chronicles,    which    such    brave    deeds 

relate ; 
I  love  to  sing  their  ancient  rhymes,  to  hear  their  legends  told. 
But  Heaven  be  thanked,  I  live  not   in   those  blessed  limes 

of  old." 

Thus  was  the  county  seat  of  Jefferson  county  fixed  upon,  and 
selected  (in  1819 — nearly  ninety  years  ago),  and  no  doubt  per- 
manently so,  for  no  one  would  venture  a  prophecy  of  it  ever  being 
removed.  At  the  time  it  was  located  there  was  a  little  dissatisfaction 
but  none  since.  Isaac  Hicks  thought  it  ought  to  have  been  located 
at  Post  Oak  Hill,  which  was  a  little  nearer  the  center  of  the  county. 
Other  parties  wanted  it  on  or  near  the  land  where  Oakwood  ceme- 
tery now  is.  And  complaint  was  made  that  one  of  the  Commis- 
sioners, Lewis  Barker,  was  the  father-in-law  of  William  Casey, 
and  acted  partially.  But  soon  everybody  admitted  and  everybody 
admits  yet,  that  the  selection  was  a  good  one,  unsurpassed  by  those 
that  were  offered  by  other  parties.  Of  course  at  that  time  it  was 
difficult  to  .conceive  what  a  real  live  town  would  look  like  in  this 

3 


34  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL. 

virgin  wild — as  there  was  scarcely  anything  in  sight  but  heavy  tim- 
ber, and  forests  of  under-brush,  all  to  be  cleared  away  by  those 
hardy  sons  of  toil,  the  pioneers  of  Jefferson  county. 

For  their  services  these  commissioners  were  allowed,  Mauld- 
ing,  who  lived  near  where  McLeansboro  now  is,  $8,  and  Rich- 
ardson, who  lived  near  Carmi,  and  Barker,  who  owned  the  Cave- 
in-Rock  Ferry,  $12  each. 

PUBLIC  BUILDINGS. 

At  the  first  meeting  of  the  County  Commissioners'  Court,  it 
was  resolved  to  build  a  court-house.  It  would  be  a  curiosity  to  see 
it  in  our  public  square  now,  but  people  were  not  so  numerous,  pros- 
perous and  proud  as  we  are  now.  Its  size  was  eighteen  by  twenty 
feet,  built  of  hewed  logs  that  faced  ten  inches,  closely  notched 
down,  to  have  a  good  roof  of  boards,  a  plank  floor  closely  laid ;  to 
have  one  door  and  one  window  all  done  in  a  workman-like  manner, 
to  be  completed  and  delivered  to  the  Commissioners'  Court  at  the 
next  September  term,  said  house  to  be  built  in  the  public  square, 
the  timber  to  be  furnished  by  Isaac  Casey  and  Joseph  Jordon ;  John 
Sanders'  bid  on  the  job  was  eighty-five  dollars,  and  gave  as  bonds- 
man, James  Kelley.  On  the  ridge  west  of  town  the  timbers  were 
"got  out"  and  the  boards  "rived."  Henry  Tyler  hewed  the  logs 
secured  on  the  lands  of  Isaac  and  William  Casey  and  Joseph  Jor- 
don. The  building  was  ready  for  use  in  September  as  ordered  by 
the  court,  whereupon  John  Sanders  received  an  eighty-five  dollar 
certificate  for  the  same.  It  stood  about  where  the  present  court- 
house stands,  its  one  door  facing  south  and  its  only  window,  west. 
As  winter  came  on  it  was  discovered  that  the  house  was  too  large 
to  keep  warm  inside  without  fire;  hence  the  court  ordered  that  the 
finishing  touch  to  the  building,  the  adding  of  a  fire-place,  be  let  to 


COUNTY  JAIL,    MOUNT   VERNON. 


0^  ■^^)'  ,a'.'^*^^^ 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  35 

the  lowest  bidder,  and  this  was  the  style  of  it :  "A  chimney  place  to 
be  cut  and  a  good  chimney  built,  back  and  hearth  to  be  like  the 
one  in  the  house  of  Lewis  Watkins,  and  to  be  as  good — an  upper 
floor  or  loft  of  same  plank  to  be  closely  laid  and  the  cracks  to  be 
chinked  and  daubed  with  good  mortar.  Also,  a  platform,  con- 
structed in  the  west  end  of  the  room,  to  be  of  proper  height,  four 
feet  wide,  of  good  hewed  puncheons,  to  lack  but  three  feet  of 
reaching  from  one  side  of  the  house  to  the  other;  at  the  end  of  said 
platform,  are  to  be  the  steps,  composed  of  blocks  or  planks  and  a 
hand  rail  in  front  of  the  platforms  of  proper  height  and  a  seat  in 
the  rear  of  the  platform  (supposedly  the  seat  of  justice)  and  two 
seats  in  front,  all  to  be  made  of  good  hewed  puncheons.  The  plat- 
form to  be  supported  by  good  substantial  posts  or  pillars  or  blocks, 
to  be  completed  by  the  first  Monday  in  March,  next,  in  workman- 
like manner.  Oliver  Morris  undertook  the  job  for  eighty  dollars, 
but  when  March  came  the  Commissioners  found  the  work  but  im- 
perfectly done,  and  forthwith  docked  the  architect  and  builder  five 
dollars,  and  he  had  to  accept  seventy-five  dollars.  And  the  court 
house  complete  cost  Jefferson  county  what  was  then  considered 
the  exorbitant  sum  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  dollars.  Such  was 
Jefferson  county's  first  temple  of  justice. 

STILL  FURTHER  IMPROVEMENTS. 

In  1 820  a  stray  pound  and  a  log  jail  were  ordered  built  on  the 
lot  where  the  jail  now  stands.  This  lot  was  sold  to  G.  Greenwood 
at  the  first  auction  of  lots  to  help  put  up  pubic  buildings,  but  he  failed 
to  pay  for  it,  and  it  reverted  to  the  county.  John  C.  Casey  took 
the  contract  for  building  the  pound  for  thirty-three  dollars  eighty- 
seven  and  one  half  cents,  and  Burchett  Maxey  took  the  contract 
for  building  the  jail  for  three  hundred    and  twenty  dollars  more 


36  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

than  twice  as  much  as  the  court-house  cost.  Zadok  Casey,  who 
was  then  an  extra  hand  with  an  axe,  either  in  chopping  or  hewing 
"went  partners"  with  Burchett  Maxey  and  together  with  the  assist- 
ance of  Lewis  and  James  Johnson  and  others  got  out  the  logs,  two 
hundred  of  them,  and  had  John  Wilson  haul  them  to  the  lot.  De- 
cember 5th.  of  that  year,  Henry  B.  Maxey,  who  was  the  main  build- 
er, turned  the  completed  jail  over  to  the  court,  and  the  work  was 
endorsed  and  paid  for.  The  platform  provided  for  an  upper  story, 
was  made  by  simply  working  in  four  logs  four  feet  longer  than  the 
others,  the  projecting  ends  forming  the  platform — needing  no  sup- 
port, while  the  steps  were  two  logs  with  steps  cut  in  them,  but  the 
work  was  substantial  and  satisfactory.  Afterward  the  log  jail  was 
torn  down  and  rebuilt  just  east  of  the  court-house,  in  the  square, 
and  many  now  living  remember  seeing  it  there.  The  writer  remem- 
bers when  a  boy,  of  accompanying  A.  M.  Grant,  who  was  the  jailor 
there,  to  feed  the  inmates.  He  also  remembers  of  carelessly  (per- 
haps intentionally)  letting  a  kind-hearted  old  slave,  who  had 
been  taken  up  and  posted  as  a  stray  or  runaway,  get  away  and 
pursue  the  road  to  freedom. 

Next  the  court  let  to  John  Wilkinson  the  building  of  another 
hewed  log  house,  to  be  used  as  a  Clerk's  office,  for  which,  when 
completed,  they  paid  William  Casey  forty-one  dollars,  William 
Jordon  two  dollars  and  twenty-five  cents,  Henry  B.  Maxey.  four 
dollars,  and  John  Wilkinson  twelve  dollars  thirty-seven  and  one- 
half  cents,  making  the  Clerk's  office  cost  fifty-nine  dollars  sixty-two 
and  one-half  cents,  but  it  took  one  dollar  more  to  purchase  a  pad- 
lock and  chain  with  which  to  lock  up  the  records.  Safety  was  se- 
cured by  putting  the  chain  through  an  augur  hole  iti  the  door  and 
around  the  facing  through  a  chink  in  the  logs  and  pad-locking  the 
ends  together. 

So  much  for  Jefferson  county's  first  public  buildings — consti- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  37 

tuting  at  that  time  about  half  of  the  entire  town.  In  the  court- 
house Burchett  Maxey  hved  while  he  built  his  own  house  and  in 
the  Clerk's  office,  Joel  Pace  spent  the  last  years  of  his  single  and  the 
first  years  of  his  married  life  here.  It  was  here  that  he  lived  when 
Harvey  T.  Pace  came  from  Kentucky  and  split  three  thousand 
rails  for  Joel  at  fifty  cents  per  hundred  in  state  paper,  equal  to 
twenty-five  cents  in  specie.  Harvey  boarded  with  his  Uncle  Joel, 
and  fourteen  feet  square  proved  big  enough  for  him  and  Joel's 
family  besides,  and  also  for  the  Circuit  and  County  Clerk's  office. 
For  many  years  Joel  Pace  held  both  of  these  offices  and  dis- 
charged the  duties  well. 

MOUNT  VERNON. 

Mount  Vernon  was  chosen  by  the  coirmiissioners  as  the  name 
of  the  new  county  seat  of  justice,  although  Mount  Pleasant  was 
first  proposed  and  favorably  considered,  but  the  name  of  Washing- 
ton was  greatly  revered  by  the  citizens,  and  Mount  Vernon,  his  an- 
cestral home,  prevailed  as  the  county  seat  of  Jefferson  county.  Joel 
Pace  was  ordered  by  the  court  to  contract  with  a  surveyor  to  lay  off 
the  twenty  acres,  donated  by  William  Casey,  extending  from  Har- 
rison street  on  the  north  to  Jordon  street,  on  the  south,  and  from 
Casey  street  (now  Eleventh  street),  on  the  west  to  Johnson  street 
or  alley,  first  street  east  of  the  public  square.  The  lots  numbered 
forty-eight,  lying  in  eight  squares,  three  squares  each  way,  and  one 
to  the  county,  but  nothing  was  said  about  blocks  in  the  survey.  The 
surveyor  was  William  Hosick  from — perhaps,  Shawneetown.  In 
September  it  was  ordered  that  Joel  Pace  and  William  Casey  be 
and  are  hereby  employed  to  set  Mulberry  stakes  around  the  public 
square,  one  at  each  corner,  to  drive  all  the  stakes  in  the  town  and 
also  to  number  the  lots  for  which  they  are  to  be  paid  by  the  county. 


38  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

the  sum  of  five  dollars.  On  the  day  of  the  sale  the  services  of  J. 
E.  Davis,  a  Cumberland  Presbyterian  preacher,  was  secured  to  cry 
the  sale. 

"Oh,  yes,  gentlemen,  I  am  now  gomg  to  sell  you  some  lots  in 
the  beautiful  city  of  Mount  Vernon,  all  covered  with  a  beautiful 
coat  of  green,  but  destined  to  be  covered  with  beautiful  blocks  of 
magnificent  buildings."- — How  phophetic. 

Lot  No.  I ,  was  struck  off  to  Bennett  Maxey  for  forty-one 
dollars;  No.  2  to  Barton  Atchison;  Burchett  Maxey  bought  No. 
4,  south  of  Herman's,  where  he  built  a  log  house;  Lewis  Watkins 
took  the  Joel  Pace  corner  at  one  hundred  sixty-two  dollars  and 
fifty  cents;  Nelson  Ferguson  took  what  is  now  the  Ham's  bank 
corner,  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  dollars;  Clark  Casey,  the  Bond 
corner  for  one  hundred  and  sixty  dollars;  Thomas  Jordon,  the  lot 
where  the  Economy  store  now  is;  Doctor  McLean,  who  afterwards 
located  at  McLeansboro,  bought  the  Harvey  Pace  corner,  where 
the  third  National  Bank  is,  for  one  hundred  and  thirty-six  dollars, 
with  Isaac  Casey  as  security.  He  failed  to  pay  for  it  and  Isaac 
passed  it  over  to  Burchett  Maxey.  J.  E.  Davis,  the  preacher  who 
cried  the  sale  of  the  lots,  came  in  with  a  colony  of  Casey's  and 
Maxey's  in  1818.  His  wife  was  a  sister  to  Burchett  and  Elihu 
Maxey's  wives,  and  to  James  Bowman's  and  John  Afflack's  wives, 
all  being  daughters  of  John  Taylor,  of  Wilson  county,  Tennessee. 
Of  those  who  bought  the  original  lots,  Bennett  Maxey  was  the  son 
of  William  Maxey  and  brother  to  Joshua  C.  and  J.  P.  Maxey,  and 
was  the  father  of  William  H.  and  James  J.,  Charles  C,  Joshua  C, 
Jr.,  and  Thomas  J.;  also  of  Mrs.  Emily  Ray  and  Mrs.  Eliza 
White;  William  and  Edward  were  brothers  from  Virginia.  Wil- 
liam married  Rhodam  Allen's  sister,  Emily,  and  was  the  father  of 
Henry  B.,  Bennett  Nelson,  Elisha,  Charles,  Hardy,  Joshua  Can- 
non.    William  McKendrie,  Adney  and  John,  also  of  Mrs.  Clar- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  39 

issa  Johnson,  Mrs.  Harriet  and  Mrs.    Vilinda  Casey  and  Hostil- 
lina;  Edward  married  Elizabeth  Pitner,  came    to    Kentucky  and 
thence  to  IHinois,  in  1819,  was  a  Methodist  and  raised  no  children, 
but  adopted  Judge  J.  R.  Satterfield.     Barton  Atchison  was  from 
Georgia,  married  a  Hill,  sister  to  Mrs.  Wilkey  and  Mrs.  Dempsey 
Hood,  came  to  this  county  in  1816,  and  was  much   in  public  life. 
His  sons  were  William,  Ignitius,  Samuel,  George  and  the  daughters, 
Winnie  Myers,  Martha  Chaffin  and  one,  the  wife  of  Theophilus 
Cook,  Jr.,  Nelson  Ferguson,  came  and  stayed  one  year  and  went 
back  to  Tennessee.     His  wife  was  a  sister  of  Jordan  Tyler.     Clark 
Casey,  John  C,  was  a  son  of  Abraham  P.,  and  son-in-law  of  Isaac 
Casey;  came  in  1818,  and  built  a  cabin  on  Mulberry  Hill,  south- 
west of  town,  lost  his  wife  and  married  a  Bingaman,  went  to  Mis- 
souri, came  back  and  died  in   1862.     Lewis  Watkins  was  at  the 
front  some  years,  first  in  Moore's  Prairie,  then  in  Mount  Vernon, 
finally  returning  to  Tennessee,  leaving  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Green  P. 
Casey  here.  She  was  the  mother  of  Lewis  F.  Casey.  Henry  Tyler 
was  the  son  of  John  Tyler  and  John  was  a  half-brother  of  James 
and  Lewis    Johnson.     Henry    married    Isaac    Casey's    daughter, 
Catherine.     He  lived  on  the  Centralia  road  for  many  years.    John 
C.  and  Isaac  Tyler  were  sons  of  Mrs.  Ingram.     Oliver  Morris  was 
son-in-law  to  Joseph  Jordan.     He  built  a  brick  house   in    Moore's 
Prairie  as  early  as  1823.     John  Wilkerson  married  Dicy  Keelin. 
in  Virginia;  she  died  and  he    married    Mrs.    Thomas,    sister  of 
Rhodam  Allen  and  to  William  Maxey's  wife.     Mrs.  Thomas  by 
her  first  husband  had  five  children;  Mrs.  Thad  Moss's  grandfather. 
Aunt  Polly  Parker  and  Edward  Wilkinson's  wife  were  three  of 
them.     This  much  for  some  of  the  very  first  settlers  and  builders  of 
Mount  Vernon. 

Having  discerned  the  discoverers  of  Jefferson  county,  and  be- 
come slightly  acquainted  with  the  "locaters  and  fixers"  of  the  per- 


40  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

manent  seat  of  justice  for  the  county  as  a  starting  point,  we  shall 
now  launch  out  in  search  of  the  other  unseen,  and  to  a  very  large 
extent,  unknown  facts  about  the  county  and  its  inhabitants. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

JEFFERSON  COUNTY. 

Why  SO  Named — Its  Location — Formation — Its  Geology — 
Soils,  Products,  etc. 

"Our  father's  God,  from  out  whose  hand 
The  centuries  fall  like  grains  of  sand. 
And  into  common  good  ordain 
This  rivalship  of  hand  and  brain." 

Jefferson  county,  so  called  in  honor  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  the 
third  President  of  the  United  States,  and  the  reputed  writer  and 
signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  As  designated  by 
Legislative  act,  it  is  situated  southeast  of  the  intersection  of  the  old 
Ohio  &  Mississippi  (now  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Southwestern)  Rail- 
road, and  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Marion  county,  on  the 
east,  by  Wayne  and  Hamilton  counties,  on  the  south,  by  Franklin 
county,  on  the  west  by  Washington  and  Perry  counties,  and  has  an 
area  of  five  hundred  seventy-six  square  miles.  When  it  was  "first 
attacked"  by  the  settlers,  about  four-fifths  of  the, territory  was  tim- 
ber land,  and  one-fifth  prairie,  the  latter  being  the  elevated  levels 
between  the  watercourses,  having  considerable  depth  of  quarternary 
deposits,  sometimes  underlaid  with  shale,  but  it  is  seldom  that  rock 
is  found ;  however,  some  timber  hills  are  found  in  the  prairies,  as  in 
Knob  Prairie,  underlaid  with  rock.  The  timbered  land  is  partly 
flat,  but  most  of  it  is  undulating  or  broken    in  consequence  of  the 


42  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

many  watercourses  which  traverse  the  county  in  different  directions. 
It  has  some  post-oak  and  some  barrens  with  black  oak,  white  oak, 
and  also  hickory.  The  timber  in  the  creek  bottoms  was  quite 
heavy,  swamp-oak,  water  oak,  sugar  maples,  sycamore,  black  and 
white  walnut,  etc.  The  county  is  well  supplied  with  branch  water, 
(when  it  rains)  is  traversed  by  branches  of  the  Big  Muddy  and  their 
tributaries.  The  main  branch  of  the  Big  Muddy  heads  near  the 
northwest  corner  of  the  county  and  handles  all  the  water  on  the 
west  side  of  the  county.  In  the  northeast  part  of  the  county  is 
Horse  creek,  a  tributary  to  the  Skillet  Fork,  and  Little  Wabash, 
and  it  has  been  said  that  the  rain  falling  east  of  Marlow  Hills  runs 
into  the  Wabash  and  the  Ohio  rivers,  while  that  falling  west  runs 
into  the  Big  Muddy  and  the  Mississippi  rivers.  Usually  we  have 
all  the  water  we  need  in  the  county,  but  last  year  everything  went 
dry,  including  the  streams,  cisterns,  ponds  and  saloons. 

COAL. 

The  geological  formation  of  Jefferson  county,  like  those  around 
us,  are  members  of  the  coal  formation.  Nearly  all  over  the  county 
is  found  the  same  strata  traced  over  in  Marion  county,  a  coal  seam 
which  varies  from  six  to  twenty-four  inches  in  thickness.  At  a 
greater  depth  may  be  found  the  coal  bed  and  the  sand  stone  over- 
laying it,  have  been  traced  over  a  large  area  of  the  outcrop  of  coal, 
and  attains  considerable  but  variable  thicknesses.  But  little  lime- 
stone crops  out  in  the  county  and  that  generally  between  two  bodies 
of  sandstone,  of  which  there  is  more  or  less  in  all  parts  of  the 
county.  Almost  anywhere  single  layers  of  sandstone  of  sufficient 
hardness  can  be  found  for  building  purposes.  The  coal  near  the 
surface  in  this  county  is  the  same  as  the  vein  at  Central  City.  Much 
of  this  surface  coal  has  been  mined  and  they  pronounce  it  excellent. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  43 

The  only  drawback  is  thickness,  or  rather,  the  shallowness  of  the 
veins.  It  could  not  be  mined  at  all  but  for  its  closeness  to  the  sur- 
face. The  question  as  to  whether  a  lower  coal  bed  of  workable 
thickness  has  been  settled  by  the  sinking  and  successful  working  of 
the  Mount  Vernon  coal  shaft  for  the  past  fifteen  years,  although  the 
vein  being  worked  is  eight  hundred  and  fifty  feet  below  the  surface. 
The  vein  is  about  six  feet  thick  and  the  coal  of  a  good  average 
quality.  The  shaft  was  put  down  by  some  enterprising  citizens  of 
the  town,  who  as  is  usually  the  case  received  no  reimbursement  for 
their  expenditures,  but  they  were  public  benefactors  just  the  same, 
and  will  be  given  due  credit  in  another  part  of  this  book.  Jefferson 
county  is  underlaid  with  a  good  workable  vein  of  coal,  the  only 
drawback  being  its  great  depth,  but  even  that  is  being  overcome  by 
our  improved  machinery.  Coal  on  top  and  coal  on  the  bottom,  so 
our  people  are  not  likely  to  run  short  of  fuel  for  many  years,  not- 
withstanding the  county  is  largely  bared  of  its  forests.  There  is 
some  iron  ore  in  this  county,  but  not  in  quantities  to  make  it  valuable 
for  the  production  of  iron. 

WATER. 

The  underneath  water  for  the  most  part  may  be  called  good 
well  water,  but  in  localities  it  is  somewhat  salt,  originating,  no  doubt, 
from  the  decomposition  of  the  sulphate  of  iron  contained  in  the 
coal  or  shales.  As  the  coal  seams  are  near  the  surface  in  many 
places,  wells  frequently  contain  these  salts  in  quantities  sufficient  to 
ruin  the  water  for  household  purposes.  This  occurs  partly  in  Mount 
Vernon  and  Rome  townships,  and  in  the  south  part  of  the  county. 
The  strongest  mineral  water  perhaps  to  be  found  in  the  county  is 
in  the  the  Green  Lawn  Springs  in  Mount  Vernon,  which  were  a 
few  years  ago  a  popular  resort,  but  of  late  years  have  been  aban- 
doned.    These  springs,  three  in  number,  issue  from   the   side  of  a 


44  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

shallow  ravine  at  the  same  level,  a  few  feet  from  each  other.  The 
springs  all  contain  a  considerable  quantity  of  iron,  combined  with 
salts.  A  remarkable  fact  is  that  the  waters  of  each  are  different,  but 
the  difference  may  be  in  the  relative  quality  of  salts.  They  evi- 
dently emanate  from  the  same  stratum,  but  passing  through  different 
portions  of  rock,  the  water  may  come  in  contact  with  different 
mineral  substances.  But  one  spring,  which  Doctor  Green  called  the 
"Tepid  Spring,"  differs  from  the  others  in  that  the  water  is  warmer, 
not  freezing  in  winter,  but  perhaps  the  fact  may  be  attributed  to  its 
saline  character. 

BUILDING  MATERIALS. 

Building  materials  were  plentiful  up  to  within  a  few  years  ago. 
Plenty  of  hard  sandstone  for  foundations,  clay  from  which  to  man- 
ufacture brick,  and  timber  from  which  anything  from  a  cradle  to  a 
home  big  enough  to  hold  a  big  family  and  all  your  wife's  relations 
including  your  mother-in-law,  could  be  safely  housed.  For  many 
years  there  was  plenty  of  workable  timber.  Ash,  white  and  black 
oak,  post  oak,  black  walnut,  hickory  and  cherry,  etc.,  but  alas! 
where  are  they  now?  The  growth  of  timber  was  immense  and  the 
only  problem  that  seemed  to  confront  the  settler  was  "How  shall  we 
get  rid  of  it?"  The  surplus  timber  seemed  to  be  the  bane  of  their 
lives,  and  "cut  and  slash"  wherever  one  pleased,  was  the  order  of 
the  day.  The  woods  and  fields  used  to  be  illuminated  by  the  burn- 
ing of  logs,  simply  to  get  rid  of  them.  These  same  logs  today 
would  be  worth  many  dollars  each.  It  seemed  that  the  timber 
never  would  be  cleared  away,  notwithstanding  everybody  in  those 
days  used  only  wood  for  fuel,  building,  fencing  and  nearly  every- 
thing else.  "Woodman,  spare  that  tree,"  was  never  heard  or 
thought  of  in  those  days.  The  result  is  today  that  we  find  nearly 
all  of  our  farms  entirely  denuded  of  timber,    not  even  enough  for 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  45 

firewood.  After  the  coming  of  the  railroads,  this  vicious  timber 
slaughter  became  more  contagious  and  the  whole  population  felt  at 
liberty  to  chop  down  any  and  everything  that  would  make  a  rail- 
road tie  or  a  mine  prop.  Reckless  mankind  destroyed  in  a  few 
years  grand  groves  of  trees  that  nature  was  centuries  in  making. 

THE  SOIL — PRODUCTS,  ETC. 

The  pioneers  understood  far  better  than  we  do  that  everything 
used  by  mankind  in  any  line  whatever— whether  as  food  or  raiment, 
or  in  the  arts  and  sciences,  in  the  manufactures,  in  the  commerce,  in 
the  household,  and  in  all  the  world,  is  simply  and  purely  the  product 
of  the  soil — of  Mother  Earth;  and  what  a  mother  she  is!  The 
corner  stone  upon  which  all  life  rests  is  the  farm,  the  miner — the 
digger  in  the  earth,  for  everything  must  be  dug  out  before  it  is  usu- 
able.  From  the  earth  comes  all  life,  all  beauty,  all  pleasure, 
wealth  and  enjoyment.  So,  at  the  coming  of  the  pioneer  to  Jeffer- 
son county,  the  virgin  soil  welcomed  him,  even  as  a  bride  welcomes 
the  groom.  They  found  the  soil  deep  and  strong,  with  fertility  of 
the  centuries  resting  upon  it,  not  as  deep  as  the  soil  in  the  corn  belt 
further  north,  but  well  adapted  to  the  growth  of  all  the  grains, 
vegetables  and  fruits,  which  was  not  so  true  of  the  lands  further 
north.  They  simply  "tickled"  the  earth  with  the  hoe  and  it  gave 
in  return  vegetables,  grain  and  fruit  showers.  The  permanent  effect 
of  the  soil  on  the  people  is  as  pronounced  as  upon  the  vegetation 
that  springs  from  it  and  in  these  early  pioneers  we  read  the  result  of 
how  good  the  soil  was  then,  and  it  would  be  as  good  now  as  then, 
had  all  the  farmers  treated  it  with  more  kindness  and  consideration 
— had  they  fed  it  while  it  fed  them.  Since  then,  we  are  sorry  to  say, 
some  of  our  Jefferson  county  farms  have  literally  been  "worked 
and  "starved"  to  death,  by  being  "corned"  and  "wheated"  for  half 


46  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

a  century  at  a  time,  without  ever  having  received  a  pound  of  fer- 
tilizer or  manure  in  return  for  what  it  has  yielded  the  proprietor. 
Remember  this  maxim:  "While  the  land  feeds  the  eater,  let  the 
eater  feed  the  land."  We  are  glad  to  know  that  many  of  our  Jeffer- 
son county  farmers  are  acting  on  this  humane  plan,  and  that  their 
lands  are  increasing  in  fertility  and  price.  Many  farmers  in  Central 
and  Northern  Illionis,  who  are  farmmg  on  land,  the  market  price  of 
which  is  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  dollars  per 
acre,  are  selling  and  buying  land  here  that  will  raise  anything  they 
want  for  from  forty  to  sixty-five  dollars  per  acre,  leaving  them  a  neat 
banking  fund  and  plenty  of  products  from  their  new  farms  to  live  on, 
beside  getting  a  more  agreeable  climate  for  themselves  and  stock. 
Farm  life  is  becoming  more  agreeable  than  it  was  a  little  while  back. 
Let  the  good  work  continue,  do  something  to  keep  the  "boys'* 
"down  on  the  farm,"  which  will  be  better  for  the  "old  folks  at 
home  "  and  much  better  for  the  "boys." 


CHAPTER  V. 

JEFFERSON  COUNTY  ORGANIZED. 

First  by  Commissioners  and  Organized  into  Civil  Divisions  for 
Voting  Purposes.     Finally  Organized  into  Townships. 

Courage!     There  is  none  so  poor — 
None  of  all  who  wrong  endure — 
None  so  humble,  none  so  weak 
But  may  flush  his  father's  cheek. 
And  his  maiden's,  dear   and   true. 
With  deeds  that  he  may  do. 
Be  his  days  as  dark  as  night 
He  may  make  himself  a  light. 
What  though  sunken  be  his  sun — 
There   are   stars   when   day   is   done. 

One  of  the  first  acts  of  the  County  Commissioners  was  the  lay- 
ing of  the  county  into  civil  divisions.  At  first  it  was  divided  into 
two  districts  or  townships  called  respectively  "Moore's  Prairie"  and 
"Casey's  Prairie."  In  1820  Walnut  Hill  Precinct  was  formed. 
It  included  all  of  Marion  and  Jefferson  counties  north  of  the  line 
dividing  townships  1  and  2,  south.  Then  the  next  change  we  find 
in  the  civil  divisions  is  in  June,  1 832,  when  Grand  Prairie  precinct 
was  formed.  It  was  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  county,  eight  miles 
square,  the  voting  place  being  Poston's  Mill.  In  June,  1834.  Horse 
Creek  precinct  was  laid  off.     It  extended  seven  miles  from  the  east 


48  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

line  of  the  county  and  was  bounded  north  by  the  county  hne  and 
south  by  the  Fairfield  road — voting  place  being  Frank  Haney's. 
Gun  Prairie  precinct  was  formed  in  1835,  beginning  where  the  "New 
Hurricane"  crossed  the  west  line  of  the  county,  run  with  the  hurricane 
to  Morgan's  Mill;  to  S.  Toney's  and  W.  Toney's  to  the  edge  of 
Moore's  Prairie,  and  to  the  south  line  of  the  county — voting  place, 
house  of  William  King.  The  next  precinct  was  Long  Prairie, 
bounded  on  the  west  by  Middle  Fork  and  Muddy  river,  and  the 
Grand  Prairie  road — voting  place,  H.  Hick's  house.  In  1846  Elk 
Prairie  precinct  was  formed.  Its  bounds  were  from  the  mouth  of 
Dodd's  creek  to  Mendenhall's  quarry,  west  to  Middle  Fork,  and 
to  the  county  line,  then  up  the  creek  to  the  place  of  beginning — 
voting  place,  J.  Kelley's.  At  the  same  time  New  Moore's  Prairie 
precinct  was  formed,  including  township  4,  range  4 — voting  place 
at  Wilbanks.  Then  for  many  years  the  business  of  the  county 
moved  on  under  the  old  precinct  system.  The  first  Board  of  Com- 
missioners was  composed  of  Zadok  Casey,  Fleming  Greenwood  and 
Joseph  Jordan,  and  under  this  system  of  commissioners  (three  in 
number) ,  the  business  of  the  county  was  conducted  until  1 869,  when 
township  organization  was  voted  in,  and  the  county  was  laid  off 
into  sixteen  townships,  each  six  miles  square.  Under  the  precinct 
system,  county  officers  changed  but  seldom,  but  managed  to  succeed 
themselves,  but  under  township  organization,  the  county  officers 
changed  oftener  and  the  township  officers  change  every  year,  evi- 
dencing the  fact  that  the  people  rule. 

COUNTY  OFFICERS. 

County  Clerk. — Joel  Pace  was  both  County  Clerk  and  Circuit 
Clerk,  and  held  the  office  from  1819  to  1837,  when  Noah  Johnson 
was  chosen  County  Clerk.     He  was  succeeded  by  E.  H.  Ridgway, 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  49 

who  held  both  offices  until  1845,  when  Joel  F.  Watson  was  chosen. 
In  1857  W.  Dodds  came  in;  in  1865,  C.  H.  Patton;  1869.  W. 
Dodds;  1871,  J.  N.  Satterfield;  1873,  W.  H.  Smith;  1877,  J.  N. 
Satterfield;  1881,  two  terms,  A.  C.  Tanner;  1893,  C.  D.  Kell; 
1897,  John  R.  Piercy;  1902,  William  B.  Phillips,  the  present 
clerk. 

Circuit  Clerk. — E.  H.  Ridgway  succeeded  Joel  Pace,  as  Cir- 
cuit Clerk  in  1841  ;  he  by  John  Wilbanks  in  1848,  and  he  by  T.  B. 
Tanner  in  1852.  He  resigned  and  John  S.  Bogan  took  the  office 
in  1 854,  and  held  it  until  1 888,  when  W.  A.  Davis  came  in.  In 
1892,  W.  V.  Satterfield  took  the  place,  died  in  office  and  J.  F. 
Bogan  filled  out  the  term.  Then  L.  E.  Jones  and  then  C.  A. 
Keller;  then  George  W.  Highsmith  and  then  Burl  Hawkins,  the 
present  incumbent. 

Sheriffs. — Lewis  Watkins,  the  first  Sheriff,  was  succeeded  by 
W.  L.  Howell;  in  1824,  Nicholas  Wren  came  in;  James  Bowman 
in  1828,  who  served  until  1842,  when  W.  J.  Stephenson  was  chosen 
Sheriff  and  served  until  1848.  He  was  succeeded  by  Wiley  Piper; 
1850,  J.  R.  Satterfield;  1852,  William  Dodds;  1854,  J.  R.  Allen; 
1856,  James  Wescott;  1858,  John  Bagwell;  1860,  C.  G. 
Vaughn;  1862,  J.  B.  Goodrich;  1864,  C.  G.  Vaughn;  1866,  Wil- 
ham  Dodds;  1868,  W.  E.  Coffey;  1870.  three  terms,  J.  B.  Good- 
rich; 1876,  two  terms,  George  W.  Yost;  Sam  Cooper  one  term; 
then  Thomas  M.  Gray,  succeeded  by  John  R.  Ward,  T.  E. 
Manion,  S.  S.  Howe,  and  the  present  incumbent.  Grant  Irvin. 

County  Treasurers. — The  first  Treasurer  of  Jefferson  county 
was  James  Kelly,  who  perhaps  handled  a  couple  of  dozen  dollars 
during  his  term.  He  was  succeeded  by  Edward  Maxey;  he  by 
John  Wilbanks ;  he  by  Joseph  Pace ;  he  by  S.  Goddard,  he  by  J. 
Livingston,  he  by  G.  P.  Casey;  he  by  H.  B.  Newby,  and  A.  B. 
Watson,  John  H.  Watson,  W.  Hicks,  S.  W.  Jones  two  terms;  W. 
i 


50  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

H.  Smith;  C.  D.  Ham,  G.  L.  Cummins,  C.  W.  Lindley,  J.  F.  Car- 
roll, W.  A.  Davis,  F.  E.  Patton,  T.  H.  Mannen,  S.  T.  Hirons,  S. 
H.  Watkins,  W.  B.  Williams,  and  Wilton  C.  Willis,  the  present 
Treasurer. 

County  Judges.— Until  the  adoption  of  township  organization, 
the  presiding  officer  of  the  Board  of  County  Commissioners  was  the 
County  Judge  or  Probate  Justice  and  this  position  was  filled  about 
twenty-five  years  by  Judge  Satterfield,  who  has  figured  so  extensive- 
ly in  the  management  of  Jefferson  county  affairs.  After  Satterfield 
the  Board  of  Commissioners  passed  out,  and  the  county  judgeship 
stood  on  its  own  merits,  Jared  Foster  being  elected  County  Judge, 
and  those  succeeding  him  were  Judges  C.  A.  Keller,  W.  B.  Ander- 
son, William  T.  Pace,  Robert  M.  Farthing,  J.  D.  Norris,  Con. 
Schul  and  A.  D.  Webb,  our  present  County  Judge. 

School  Commissioners,  or  Superintendents,  as  they  call  them 
now — Browning  Daugh  is  the  first  we  have  any  account  of.  ap- 
pointed in  1836;  J.  R.  Satterfield  came  next  in  1845;  then  came 
John  H.  Pace,  W.  H.  Lynch,  J.  H.  Pace,  J.  R.  P.  Hicks.  Office 
changed  to  School  Superintendent,  and  James  M.  Pace  was 
chosen,  followed  by  G.  W.  Johnson,  John  D.  Williams,  William 
T.  Summers,  Oscar  Stitch,  J.  W.  Hill  and  A.  E.  Summers,  the  pres- 
ent mcumbent. 

County  Surveyors. — The  first  elected  Surveyor  was  Lewis  F. 
Casey,  who  served  for  many  years.  He  was  followed  by  W.  B. 
Anderson.  A.  M.  Grant,  John  D.  Williams,  W.  T.  Williams,  B. 
C.  Wells,  Kirby  Smith,  James  Westcott,  S.  T.  Maxey,  and  B. 
C.  Wells,  just  elected. 

Jefferson  county  adopted  township  organization  in  1869,  and 
the  first  Board  of  Supervisors  were  elected  in  1870;  Jacob  Breeze, 
Grand  Prairie;  E.  B.  Harvey,  Casner;  Samuel  Johnson,  Bliss- 
ville;  John  B.  Ward,  Bald  Hill;  G.  L.  Cummins,  Rome;  J.  R. 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  51 

Moss.  Shiloh;  William  A.  Davis.  McClellan;  G.  W.  Evans,  Elk 
Prairie;  John  C.  McConnell.  Fields;  D.  H.  Warren.  Mount  Ver- 
non; R.  D.  Roan.  Dodds;  W.  S.  Bumpus.  Spring  Garden;  M.  A. 
Morrison.  Farrington;  S.V.Bruce,  Webber;  W.A.Jones  Moore's 
Prairie.  The  county  has  had  many  good  Boards  of  Supervisors 
since  that  day.  Township  organization  has  become  quite  popular 
with  the  people  of  the  county,  as  it  seems  to  be  more  nearly  a  home- 
rule  government  than  the  old  commissioner  system,  and  yet  it  costs 
considerably  more.  Since  the  county  was  fully  organized,  officers 
have  mainly  been  brought  out  by  party  machinery,  each  party  pre- 
senting its  candidates  through  caucus  or  primary.  Sometimes  In- 
dependents slip  in.  but  usually  the  successful  ones  are  old  party 
nominees,  sometimes  one,  sometimes  the  other. 

During  all  this  organization  period,  Joel  Pace  was  officially 
part  of  the  organization  itself,  and  it  seems  proper  that  we  here 
record  "what  manner  of  man"  he  was.  Born  in  Virginia,  he  moved 
with  his  father  to  Kentucky.  On  reaching  manhood,  Joel  went  to 
Frankfort,  Kentucky,  where  he  worked  for  Thomas  Long.  The 
latter  had  a  brother,  Billy,  merchandising  in  Vincennes,  Indiana. 
Riley  asked  Thomas  to  refer  him  to  a  trusty  young  man  who  would 
make  a  good  salesman.  He  recommended  Joel  Pace,  and  Riley 
employed  him  and  sent  him  to  Vincennes.  Here  he  remained  two 
years,  when  Riley  had  a  stock  of  goods  damaged  by  the  sinking 
of  a  boat  in  the  Ohio  river,  and  he  sent  young  Pace  to  sell  them 
out  as  best  he  could  at  Shawneetown.  Riley  abandoned  himself 
to  drink  and  Joel  left  him  and  worked  for  Peoples  &  Kirkpatrick. 
at  Shawneetown.  Judge  Brown,  who  was  then  "Judge  of  the 
Realm."  then  lived  at  Shawneetown,  and  he  appointed  Joel  Pace 
Circuit  Clerk  of  Jefferson  county,  and  procured  for  him  the  ad- 
ditional offices  of  Recorder  and  Notary  Public.  So  he  had  three 
offices  when  he  came  here  in  1819.  and  was  soon  appointed  to  the 


UNrvERsnv  ( 

lUJNOIS  LIBR/ 
AT  URBANA-CHAM 


52  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

forth  office,  County  Clerk.  And  yet  there  was  so  Httle  business 
that  he  attended  to  the  duties  of  them  all,  and  still  found  time  to 
teach  a  school,  the  first  ever  taught  in  the  county.  Such  was  the 
"make-up"  of  the  man,  who  at  one  and  the  same  time  held  several 
of  the  most  important  offices  of  the  county,  for  about  twenty  years, 
discharging  faithfully  his  official  duties.  And  it  is  always  the 
pleasure  of  the  historian  to  record  the  doings  of  a  faithful  public 
official.  The  early  officers  of  the  courts  were  efficient  and  faithful, 
but  none  of  them  wore  official  honors  so  long  and  faithfully  without 
rest  as  did  Joel  Pace.  He  was  in  every  respect  an  ideal  pioneer, 
and  Jefferson  county  is  proud  of  his  memory.  The  scramble  for 
the  "loaves  and  fishes"  of  the  county  was  "light  and  airy"  as  com- 
pared with  the  strenuous  work  along  that  line  in  later  years.  The 
most  lucrative  offices  of  the  county  were  filled  by  appointment  and 
not  by  popular  vote,  as  now,  until  about  1 840.  The  early  records 
show  few  changes,  the  appomtmg  powers  seeming  to  agree  with 
Chancellor  Kent,  who  said:  "The  great  danger  to  this  county  is  the 
too  freqent  change  of  men  who  prove  themselves  faithful  in  office." 
All  organizations  have  weak  spots,  and  so  with  the  organiza- 
tion of  Jefferson  county,  but  these  weak  spots  were  gradually 
"chinked"  and  "daubed,"  as  the  pioneers  did  their  cabins,  and  were 
finally  "cut  out,"  and  supplanted  with  better  things  and  modes,  until 
now  we  have  one  of  the  best  organized,  even  running  counties  in 
this  great  and  glorious  state.  We  have  not  the  room  to  give  the 
organization  of  townships  more  space  in  this  chapter,  but  may  de- 
vote a  chapter  to  that  later.  Havmg  started  the  county  machinery, 
we  will  go  back  and  see  what  was  the  real  character  of  our  first 
inhabitants. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  EARLY  SETTLERS. 

Their  Characteristics — Zadok  Casey — Stinson  H.  Anderson. 

Through  toil  and  trouble,  happiness  and  love, 

Weariness  and  woe,  in  the  mills  of  earth, 

The  tools  of  eternity  are  working. 

It  is  their  noise  we  hear  in  the  city's  dull  roar; 

Their  keen  edge  we  feel  when  we  smart  with  some 

strange  pain. 
Here  is  making  that  which  is  finer  than  anything 

that  can  be  cut  in  marble. 
The  glory  of  character. 

"Our  lives  are  songs;  God  writes  the  words. 

And  we  set  them  to  music  at  pleasure; 

And  the  song  grows  glad,  or  sweet,  or  sad. 

As  we  choose  to  fashion  the  measure. 

We  must  write  the  music,  whatever  the  song. 

Whatever  its  rhyme  or  meter; 

And  if  it  is  sad,  we  can  make  it  glad, 

Or  if  sweet,  we  can  make  it  sweeter." 

The  first  settlements  of  Jefferson  county  were  made  under 
great  difficulties,  and  amid  hardships  and  dangers.  Most  of  the 
settlers  were  from  the  states  south  of  the  Ohio  river,  and  were  poor 


54  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

in  worldly  wealth — called  by  some  "poor  white  trash."  But  while 
they  had  but  little  education,  and  comparatively  no  wealth,  they 
were  men  and  women  of  sterling  worth — physically  stalwart  and 
strenuous,  looking  upon  labor  as  an  honor,  and  a  glory,  which 
nothing  could  be  accomplished  without.  They  recognized  that 
there  was  a  vast  difference  between  reputation  and  character — that 
character  is  what  a  man  is ;  reputation  is  what  he  is  thought  to  be ; 
that  character  is  real — that  reputation  may  be  and  often  is,  false; 
that  character  is  what  you  are  at  home ;  that  reputation  is  what  you 
are  abroad;  that  character  is  a  man's  soul;  that  reputation  is  that 
which  is  in  the  minds  of  others;  that  character  is  a  man's  worth, 
while  reputation  is  the  price  placed  on  him  by  others.  Such  were 
the  pioneers  of  Jefferson  county.  They  came  with  faith  in  God, 
and  a  wish  to  do  right  as  a  basic  thought.    Believig  that 

"Life  was  lent  for  noble  deeds." 

They  concentrated  their  energies  upon  the  work  before  them 
with  a  full  knowledge  that  they  would  have  to  "labor  and  to  wait." 
They  realized  that  labor  is  mighty  and  beautiful,  and  that  the 
noblest  men  on  earth  are  those  who  put  their  hands  cheerfully  and 
promptly  to  honest  labor.  They  realized  that  there  is  not  an  atom 
of  useful  material  in  all  the  world  that  is  not  made  useful  by  the 
brain  and  brawn  of  labor.  And  added  to  this  the  dignity  of  labor 
which  predominated  in  the  minds  of  these  people,  which  was  deeply 
imbedded  in  their  hearts,  and  the  never  dying  principles  of  charity 
and  love  which  shone  out  through  their  every  day  lives  like  "apples 
of  gold  in  pitchers  of  silver,"  never  to  be  forgotten.  Charity  always 
flows  from  a  good  heart,  and  looks  beyond  the  skies  for  approval 
and  reward — it  is  only  another  name  for  disinterested  love — the 
same  feeling  that  bequeathed  to  this  sad  world  "The  Great  Sym- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  55 

pathizer  and  Lover,"  who  "went  about  doing  good  to  others" 
while  on  earth.  So  these  first  good  citizens  beheved  in  doing  unto 
others  as  they  wished  others  to  do  unto  them,  and  not  one  of  them 
practiced  the  Irishman's  golden  rule — "do  to  others  as  they  do  to 
you,  and  do  it  first,  "  or  "do"  others  before  they  "do"  you.  They 
seemed  to  remember  that  love  is  the  perpetual  melody  of  humanity 
— it  glorifies  the  present  by  the  light  that  comes  backward  and 
lightens  the  future  by  its  gleams  of  hope  sent  forward.  It  elevates 
the  aspirations,  expands  the  soul  and  stimulates  the  mental  powers. 

Such  were  the  characteristics  of  our  Jefferson  county 
"Fathers."  A  noble  people,  and  the  virgin  soil  here  afforded  them 
a  splendid  heritage.  And  by  their  labors,  their  piety  and  their  mode 
of  living,  they  have  certainly  made  it  more  glorious  for  descendants, 
who  today,  with  thousands  of  others,  are  enjoying  the  "fruits"  of 
their  labors,  while  they  have  entered  into  the  rest  they  so  richly  de- 
served. "They  builded  better  than  they  knew."  As  they  built 
their  cabins  they  could  not  see  the  handsome  residences,  stores  and 
factories  that  should  occupy  the  same  ground  in  the  not  very  distant 
future.  It  would  be  a  wonderful  experience  if  they  were  to  come 
back  today  and  try  to  locate  their  cabins  and  truck  patches,  but  why 
go  to  dreaming  "while  life  is  real,"  and  such  is  life. 

It  would  be  a  pleasure  to  individualize  noble  men  and  women, 
and  give  each  their  due  mead  of  praise,  in  due  season,  but  a  dozen 
volumes  would  not  hold  it  all.  Suffice  it,  that  we  give  in  this 
chapter  a  brief  synopsis  of  the  lives  and  characters  of  just  two  of 
our  pioneers  who  were  ideal  characters  and  who  were  not  only  at 
the  front  in  all  local  matters,  but  who  became  state  and  national 
figures  in  their  day  and  generation.  They  left  their  impress  upon 
Jefferson  county  for  all  time  to  come.     First,  then,  we  come  to 

Zadok  Casey,  who  came  to  Jefferson  county  in  the  spring  of 
1817,  and  reared  a  cabin  in  Shiloh  township,  the  place  known  as 


56  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

Capt.  J.  R.  Moss's  homestead,  near  Shiloh  church.  He  was  bom 
in  Georgia,  in  1  796,  and  at  the  early  age  of  nineteen,  was  married 
to  a  daughter  of  Samuel  King.  From  the  pioneer  sketches  of  Mr. 
Johnson  and  others,  we  give  some  facts  of  his  early  life  and  labors 
in  this,  his  adopted  county.  Soon  after  his  marriage  he  began  to 
preach,  and  best  of  all  he  kept  it  up  through  his  long  and  useful  life, 
even  in  the  midst  of  his  heated  political  campaigns,  in  which  he  en- 
gaged. He  was  as  poor  as  poverty  itself,  and  after  his  father  died 
he  had  all  the  care  of  his  mother  as  well  as  that  of  his  own  family. 
Arriving  here  in  181  7,  he  went  into  camp  beside  a  big  log,  with  his 
mother  and  family  until  he  could  rear  his  cabin.  There  was  no  one 
near  to  help  him  raise  a  big  log  cabin,  so  he  put  up  one  of  poles, 
made  a  floor  of  puncheons,  a  door  of  clapboards,  beds  of  scaffolds, 
and  boards,  and  with  a  dirt  hearth,  a  stick  chimney,  and  a  skillet 
and  shovel,  and  commenced  living  at  home  out  in  Shiloh.  He  was 
one  of  the  men  described  in  the  first  part  of  the  chapter,  and  soon 
there  was  evidence  of  thrift  and  improvement  about  the  plantation. 
He  was  a  diamond  in  the  rough.  By  the  aid  of  his  wife  he  soon 
learned  to  read,  and  his  natural  thirst  for  knowledge  soon  led  him 
to  accumulate  a  small  library  and  he  eventually  became  the  best 
posted  man  in  all  the  region  round  about.  When  things  began  to 
stir  down  at  the  seat  of  justice,  Zadok  would  walk  down  and  help 
the  boys  out,  but  he  never  forgot  to  preach  on  all  proper  occasions, 
and  it  is  said  of  him  that  he  invited  every  man,  woman  and  child  in 
the  county  to  come  to  the  grove  standing  on  what  is  now  Bond's 
corner  (and  every  one  of  them  was  there)  to  hear  him  preach 
what  proved  to  be  an  excellent  sermon. 

But  very  few  moments  of  idleness  were  spent  by  Mr.  Casey 
after  arriving  in  the  county.  As  already  stated  he  was  one  of  the 
first  Board  of  Commissioners,  and  helped  in  organizing  the  town 
and  county.     In  1 820,  young  as  he  was,  he  was  pitted  against  Doc- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  57 

tor  McClean,  of  White  county,  for  the  Legislature,  but  was  de- 
feated by  a  few  votes,  but  at  the  next  election,  in  1822-24,  he  was 
elected  to  the  State  Senate  for  four  years.  So  great  was  his  popu- 
larity that  he  carried  every  vote  in  the  county  but  one.  In  1830 
he  was  elected  Lieutenant  Governor  of  the  state,  and  he  again  re- 
ceived every  vote  in  the  county  but  one,  and  that  was  his  own.  Be- 
fore his  term  expired  he  was  elected  to  Congress  over  William  Allen, 
of  Clark  county.  He  was  re-elected  in  1834,  and  again  in  1836, 
1838  and  1840,  but  in  1842  John  A.  McClernand  succeeded. 
Undaunted,  Governor  Casey  immediately  engaged  in  local  domestic 
enterprises,  but  the  people  in  1847,  together  with  Walter  B.  Scates, 
and  F.  S.  Casey,  elected  him  to  the  Constitutional  Convention,  and 
to  him  and  Judge  Scates,  Mount  Vernon  is  indebted  for  the  location 
of  the  Supreme  Court-house.  He  was  elected  to  the  Legislature 
again  in  1852,  and  was  a  member  of  the  State  Senate  at  the  time 
of  his  death,  September  4,  1862.  In  politics  Governor  Casey  was 
a  stalwart  Democrat  of  ye  olden  type — thoroughly  patriotic  and 
conscientious  in  all  his  public  acts.  He  was  a  good  financier,  al- 
though beginning  life  penniless,  he  accumulated  considerable 
wealth.  His  children  were:  Mahala,  Mary  Jane,  Samuel  K., 
Hiram  R.,  Alice,  Newton,  Thomas  S.,  and  John  R.  These  are 
all  dead,  unless  John  R.,  who  was  a  physician  at  Joliet,  still  survives. 
Such  was  Governor  Casey's  success  in  public  life,  but  he  shone 
even  more  brilliantly  in  private  life,  among  those  who  knew  him 
best.  Many  did  not  ceem  to  realize  the  source  of  his  strength,  but 
had  they  witnessed  him  the  first  night  of  his  residence  in  Jefferson 
county,  when  after  building  a  fire  beside  the  log  for  his  wife  to  pre- 
pare their  frugal  meal,  he  stepped  in  to  the  forest  close  by  and, 
leaning  against  a  big  tree  with  the  silent  stars  looking  down  upon  him 
as  witnesses,  he  knelt  in  prayer  to  Almighty  God,  asking  that  his 
blessing  might  rest  upon  him  in  his  new  home  and  that  health  and 


58  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

happiness  might  dwell  in  his  rude  home,  and  above  all,  that  he 
might  be  a  Christian  man  and  upright  honorable  citizen  of  this  new 
county.  That  honest  petition  was  granted  all  along  the  journey  of 
the  Governor's  life,  simply,  no  doubt,  because  it  was  oft  repealed, 
—what  a  wonderful  life!  A  grand  old  man,  whose  pure  and  ex- 
alted life  is  one  of  the  most  important  in  the  history  of  Jefferson 
county,  for  the  study  and  contemplation  of  the  youths  of  the  county. 
He  was  glorious  in  his  death,  or  rather  departure — for  to  such  spirits 

"There  is  no  death;  these  stars  go  down 
To  rise  upon  some  fairer  shore. 
And  bright  in  Heaven's  jewelled  crown. 
They'll  shine  forever  more." 

His  demise,  coming  in  the  meridian  of  manhood,  was  a  national 
as  well  as  a  local  calamity,  for  which  a  greatful  posterity  can  only 
now  have  the  consoling  compensation  that  may  come  from  the  pen 
of  the  biographer,  whom,  we  trust,  may  gather  the  hint  and  make  a 
far  better  book  than  this,  entitled  "Life  and  Times  of  Governor 
Casey."  For  almost  half  a  century  he  served  his  God  and  his  fel- 
lowmen  in  Jefferson  county,  and  at  last  laid  down  to  sleep,  with 
harness  on — just  as  he  desired — at  post  of  duty.  Calmly  he  sleeps 
where  his  active  life  was  spent.  He  sleeps  and  the  billows  of  rest- 
less humanity  like  a  disturbed  sea  heave  about  his  resting  place; 
but  they  disturb  not  his  calm  repose,  for  his  spirit — the  real  Zadok 
Casey — is  not  there,  but  is  dwelling  in  "mansions  not  made  with 
hands — eternal  in  the  heavens." 

Let  every  reader  of  this  sketch  feel  the  importance  of  emulating 
the  virtues  of  Jefferson  county's  truly  great  man — Governor  Zadok 
Casey. 

StinSON  H.  Anderson,  was  another   prominent   citizen  and 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  59 

statesman  whom  we  desire  to  speak  of  in  this  chapter.  The  material 
and  political  history  of  Jefferson  county  and  state  of  Illinois,  are 
embellished  with  the  finger-marks  of  these  two  statesmen — Gover- 
nors Casey  and  Anderson. 

Although  of  the  same  political  faith,  the  only  difference  per- 
ceivable, being  that  Casey  was  more  of  a  Jeffersonian  Democrat,  • 
while  Anderson  was  more  of  the  Jacksonian  order,  yet  to  say  that 
at  all  times  they  were  in  perfect  party  harmony  would  be  in  con- 
flict with  the  political  history  of  the  county.  Often  it  was  found 
that  there  were  two  Richmonds  in  the  field,  and  they  almost  always 
proved  foemen  worthy  of  each  other's  steel.  For  years  it  was 
another  "war  among  the  roses,"  but  was  without  bloodshed  and  car- 
nage, and  occasionally  it  cropped  out  among  the  descendants  of 
these  two  great  men,  until  the  most  of  them  have  joined  the  ever- 
increasing  majority  on  the  other  side.  Sometimes  the  county  seemed 
too  small  for  these  two  master-spirits,  and  this  led  them  to  cross 
swords  upon  the  points  of  political  preferment.  These  local  differ- 
ences, however,  cut  no  difference  upon  national  questions  or  in  nat- 
ional contests.  In  these  they  stood  shoulder  to  shoulder — always 
loyal  to  principle.  Governor  Anderson  was  born  in  Summer  county, 
Tennessee,  at  the  opening  of  the  century — 1800,  and  while  yet  a 
young  man,  came  to  Jefferson  county,  a  few  years  later  than  his  peer. 
Governor  Casey.  He  bought  the  farm  east  of  town  embracing  all 
that  portion  of  Mt.  Vernon,  east  of  Eighth  street,  which  was  after- 
ward Doctor  Green's  farm.  He  soon  proved  himself  one  of  the 
most  enterprising,  successful  farmers  in  the  county.  He  devoted 
considerable  attention  to  raising  fine  stock — especially  fine  horses. 
He  loved  a  fleet-footed  courser,  and  at  one  time  he  owned  a  little 
race  mare  which  he  called  "Polly  Ann."  He  believed  that  she 
could  outrun  the  fleetest  animal  in  all  the  realm.  Doctor  Logan, 
father  of  Gen.  John  A.  Logan,  had  a  fine  racer  called  Walnut 


60  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO..   ILL. 

Cracker,  and  he  challenged  Anderson  for  a  test  of  speed  between 
his  horse  and  "Polly  Ann."  Logan  lived  where  Murphysboro  now 
stands,  and  after  considerable  bantering  between  the  owners  of  the 
rival  nags,  a  race  was  agreed  upon — a  1 ,000  yard  dash.  So  con- 
fident was  each  of  the  speed  of  their  pets,  that  they  staked  not  only 
their  ready  cash,  but  almost  their  entire  property  upon  the  outcome. 
The  race  was  run  on  Logan's  own  track  at  Murphysboro,  and  Gen. 
Bill  Anderson,  son  of  Governor,  then  but  a  lad,  and  Gen. 
John  A.  Logan,  were  the  riders.  When  the  horses  came  upon  the 
track,  the  Logan  horse  came  with  his  head  up  and  nostrils  dis- 
tended like  a  veritable  war-horse,  while  little  Polly  Ann  stood  with 
her  head  down  and  ears  drooped,  seemmg  almost  lifeless.  "General 
Bill"  felt  awed  at  the  appearance  of  Walnut  Cracker,  and  whim- 
peringly said  to  his  father  that  he  feared  "Polly  Ann"  was  beaten. 
"William,"  said  the  Governor,  "she's  got  to  beat,  and  you  must 
see  that  she  does  beat,  or  I'll  feel  tempted  to  beat  you!" 
The  big  race  came  off  a  few  minutes  later,  and  amidst  a  tremen- 
dous excitement  Polly  Ann  passed  under  the  wire  several  lengths 
ahead  of  the  high-headed  Logan  horse,  thus  giving  the  Gover- 
nor possession  of  all  the  Logan  stock,  horses,  cattle  and 
hogs,  except  Walnut  Cracker,  and  the  Governor  said  he  didn't  want 
him.  Governor  Anderson  came  at  a  time  most  needed,  to  help 
build  up  the  agricultural  interests  of  the  county  and  make  the  county 
seat  a  place  of  importance.  He  sold  the  Green  farm  to  Ridgway  a 
brother-in-law,  and  embarked  in  business  up  town,  but  farming 
suited  him  better,  and  in  a  few  years,  he  became  in  possession  of  one 
of  the  best  farms  in  Elk  Prairie  precinct,  and  moved  there  with  his 
family. 

But  the  talents  of  Governor  Anderson  were  not  destmed  to  be 
hidden  under  a  bushel,  nor  his  abilities  to  rust  unburnished,  and, 
like  Cincinnatus,  he  was  called  from  the  plow  to  take  a  place  in  the 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  61 

councils  of  the  state.  He  was  chosen  to  represent  Jefferson  county, 
in  the  Legislature  in  1832,  and  again  in  1834,  where  he  showed  his 
ability  as  a  leader,  convincing  his  fellow  members  that  it  was  safe  to 
trust  him  in  that  capacity.  In  1838  he  was  elected  Lieutenant 
Governor  on  the  ticket  with  Governor  Carlin,  and  for  four  years 
was  the  presiding  officer  of  the  State  Senate.  Hon.  Noah  Johnston 
who  was  a  member  of  that  body  describes  him  as  an  able,  courteous, 
dignified  presiding  officer,  whose  knowledge  of  parliamentary  law 
enabled  him  to  avoid  mistakes.  His  rulings  always  withstood  the 
severest  tests.  After  his  term  of  Lieutenant  Governor,  he  was  ap- 
pointed Captain  of  the  United  States  Dragoons,  and  served  in  the 
Florida  or  Seminole  war.  Afterwards  he  was  warden  of  the  state 
penitentiary,  at  Alton,  for  four  years.  During  President  Polk's  term 
as  President,  he  served  as  United  States  Marshal  for  the  state  of 
Illinois,  and  performed  well  his  duties. 

The  Governor  was  a  man  of  most  exalted  integrity — the  very 
soul  of  honor,  scorning  everything  that  even  had  the  appearance  of  a 
mean  act.  Although  unlike  Governor  Casey,  he  did  not  affiliate  with 
any  church,  still  he  gave  freely  of  his  means  to  all  churches  and  to 
the  spread  of  the  Gospel.  He  took  his  final  departure  in  September, 
1857,  deeply  mourned  alike  by  the  state  and  county,  which  he  had 
so  faithfully  served — and  by  all  the  people  who  knew  him.  Happy 
is  the  county  which  can  boast  of  the  lives  and  services  of  two  pio- 
neers such  as  were  Governor  Zadok  Casey  and  Governor  Stinson 
H.  Anderson. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

MORE  ABOUT  MOUNT  VERNON. 

The  Permanent  Seat  of  Justice — Some  of  Its  Settlers — Noah 
Johnston,  a  Land  Mark. 

Courage — nothing  e'er  withstood 
Freemen  fightmg  for  their  good; 
Armed  with  all  their  father's  fame. 
They  will  win  and  wear   a   name, 
That  shall  go  to  endless  glory. 
Like  the  gods  of  old  Greek  story. 
Raised  to  Heaven  and  heavenly  worth. 
For   the   good   they   gave   to   earth. 

Brevity  is  a  necessity  at  this  point,  but  it  seems  proper  that  we 
allude  to  these  very  first  settlers  and  some  of  their  doings  in  this 
chapter.  Later  on,  of  course,  our  reference  to  individuals  must 
cease  and  our  remarks  be  merged  into  a  more  general  write-up  of 
what  has  taken  place  during  the  passing  years.  But  these  first  set- 
tlers well  deserve  our  attention  and  praise.  William  L.  Howell,  the 
man  who  succeeded  Lewis  Watkins  as  Sheriff,  was  a  nice  man,  but 
a  poor  manager,  and  he  had  to  give  up  the  office  on  that  account. 
He  moved  up  to  Jordan's  Prairie,  where  his  little  boy  was  lost  in 
trying  to  follow  his  mother  to  the  branch.  There  were  only  two 
paths,  one  to  the  branch  and  the  other  to  the  neighbor's.  On  her 
return  to  the  house,  the  mother  missed  the  boy  and  gave  the  alarm. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  63 

but  it  was  nearly  night,  and  the  boy  could  not  be  found.     For  two 
nights  and  a  day  search  was  kept  up.     Green  Casey  lived  at  the 
Frank  Casey  place;  he  went  out  to  attend  to  his  stock  after  dusk, 
and  heard  a  child  crying,  as  he  thought,  but  fearing  it  might  be  a 
panther,  went  back  to  the  house.     Early  next  morning  he  took  his 
gun  and  went  out  to  the  point  whence  came  the  noise,  and  there  sat 
the  child,  quite  exhausted.     He  was  soon  restored  to  his  almost  dis- 
tracted parents,  and  joy  reigned    in    that    household.     A  burying 
ground  was  laid  off  at  Old  Union,  and  Aunt  Milly  Tyler  was  the 
first  woman  to  be  buried  there,  and  then  McBride's  wife,  and  Roar- 
ing Billy  Woods.    Thomas  Tunstall  bought  the  Kirby  Tavern,  and 
kept  it  and  sold  groceries.     He  bought  and  sent  South  a  great  deal 
of  stock;  he  gave  a  set  of  plates  or  a  set  of  knives  and  forks,  for  a 
yearling.     He  gave  Nolin  forty  coWs  and  calves  for  a  race  horse. 
He  erected  the  tread-mill  that  stood  near  the  Asa  B.  Watson  place, 
and  brought  John  Summers,  from  Shawneetown,  to  run  it.     Sum- 
mers afterwards  married  and  the  long  line  of  Summerses  followed. 
Elisha    Plummer   took   the   William   Casey   house,   and   started   a 
blacksmith  shop  and  two  cabins  on  what  is  now  South  Eleventh 
street.     He  was  a  cabinet  maker,  his  wife  a  sister  to  Jarvis  Fierce; 
Colonel  Reardon,  the  preacher,  was  his  son.     Joel  Pace  built  his 
first  cabin  about  a  hundred  yards  east  of  where  Governor  Pavey 
lives.     Doctors  Adams  and  Glover  came,  boarded  at  the  H.  T. 
Pace  corner,  but  soon  Glover  went  to  McLeansboro,  and  Adams 
married  Jane  Tunstall;  some  years  afterward  moved  to   Moore's 
Prairie,  and  died.     Downing  Baugh  came,  married  Milly  Pace, 
went  to  Vandalia,  to  Collinsville,  finally  located  in  Mount  Vernon, 
where  he  sold  goods  and  was  Justice  of  the  Peace.     He  built  a  two- 
story  house  on  the  north  side  of  the  square,    and    put    up  another 
grocery  store.     McClenden  built  a  small  house  west  of  the  court- 
house.    Joseph  Wilbanks  came  in  and  took  charge  of  the  tavern. 


64  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

and  bought  the  McClenden  house  for  a  store  room,  soon  after  went  » 
South  and  died,  and  Governor  Anderson  married  his  widow.  Bur- 
chett  Maxey  built  the  H.  T.  Pace  corner.  Among  those  who  did 
business  on  the  square  in  those  days,  and  who  bought  in  and  sold  out, 
were  William  Hamblin,  James  Black,  E.  H.  Ridgway,  W.  W. 
Pace,  James  Bowman,  John  Johnson,  Harvey  Pace,  Stinson  An- 
derson and  scores  of  others  whose  names  we  have  not  been  able  to 
secure,  but  business  went  on  and  the  town  grew  as  the  new  settlers 
came  in,  mostly  from  where  the  original  settlers  came  from. 

In  1822  a  new  court-house  was  decided  upon,  the  wall  to  be 
brick,  thirty-two  by  twenty-four  feet,  two  stories  high,  etc.  Mc- 
Bride  took  the  job,  worked  on  it,  handed  it  over  to  Thomas  Jordan. 
It  cost  three  hundred  and  twelve  dollars,  but  stood  unfinished  until 
1829,  when  it  was  ordered  repaired,  furnished  and  painted  with 
three  coats  of  Spanish  brown.  The  work  was  done  by  Cannon 
Maxey  and  Stephen  G.  Hicks,  the  painting  being  done  by  Jarvis 
Pierce ;  a  few  feet  east  of  this  new  court-house  were  the  logs  of  the 
old  court-house,  bought  by  H.  B.  Newby,  and  he  put  up  a  house 
with  them  at  his  old  place  (now  known  as  the  Gibson  Place)  ;  the 
old  Clerks's  office  disappeared  and  provision  was  made  for  the 
Clerk's  office  in  the  new  court-house,  so  we  see  the  seat  of  justice 
moving  up  to  a  higher  plane,  but  we  find  it  important  to  leave  the 
other  improvements  in  the  hands  of  the  proprietors  and  builders, 
while  we  gather  up  more  valuable  facts. 

In  1824,  William  Casey  sold  ninety  rods  off  the  west  side  of 
the  southwest  quarter  section  29,  to  James  Gray,  and  the  conveyance 
totally  ignored  the  fact  that  Mount  Vernon  is  in  the  heart  of  the 
tract.  This  land  was  laid  off  and  added  to  the  town  and  called 
"Storm's  Survey,  of  Gray"s  addition  to  Mount  Vernon."  After 
this  Mount  Vernon  began  to  "spread"  herself,  and  a  new  and 
larger  court-house  was  in  demand,  and  the  Commissioners  appointed 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  65 

Noah  Johnston,  J.  W.  Greetham,  Downing  Baugh  and  A.  M. 
Grant  to  advertise  and  plan  for  the  building  of  a  new  court-house. 
Still  other  commissioners.  Barton  Atchison,  James  Sursa  and  Wil- 
liam Bullock,  mounted  their  horses  and  went  to  Carmi,  to  examine 
the  White  county  court-house,  and  when  they  returned  they  ordered 
that  the  Clerk  shall  advertise  for  the  building  of  a  new  court-house 
after  the  plan  and  size  of  the  court-house  at  Carmi.  William  Ed- 
wards (known  as  Uncle  Billy)  got  the  contract.  He  was  induced 
by  Governor  Casey  to  come  to  Jefferson  county  and  buy  lands,  and 
got  here  just  in  time  to  get  the  contract  for  five  thousand  five  hundred 
dollars.  He  was  a  Methodist  preacher.  His  eldest  son,  Francis, 
became  a  physician,  married  Colonel  Hick's  daughter,  located  at 
Sandoval,  and  recently  died  there.  His  youngest  son,  Joseph,  also 
a  doctor,  has  long  been  a  resident  of  Mendota,  and  paid  Mount 
Vernon  a  visit  last  summer.  The  court-house  was  finished  in  1 840, 
but  the  county  had  to  borrow  money  to  pay  for  it.  This  court-house 
was  forty  feet  square,  square  roof,  court  room  below,  four  offices 
above  with  stairs  at  the  southern  corners,  with  doors  on  the  south, 
east,  and  west,  altogether  making  quite  a  formidable  appearance. 
And  in  this  building  many  of  the  political  giants  of  the  state  were 
at  one  time  and  another,  listened  to  by  Jefferson  county's  hardy 
yeomen.  In  this  court  room  took  place  the  noted  altercation  be- 
tween our  former  fellow  citizen.  Doctor  Green  and  Gen.  John  A. 
Logan,  during  the  war  for  the  Union. 

Up  to  the  building  of  this  court-house,  the  town  had  not  begun 
to  "put  on  airs,"  so  to  speak,  but  now  the  Mount  Vernon  Academy 
was  being  built,  the  old  church  was  finished,  the  town  was  incor- 
porated and  prosperity  seemed  headed  this  way,  when  men  like 
Eddy,  Castles,  Baltzels,  Phillips,  Doctor  Short,  Schank,  Hinman, 
Thomas,  Wingate,  Nelson,  Haynes,  Scates,  Roe,  Gray,  Rahm, 
Stephenson,  Palmer,  Barrett,  Tromly  and  others  were  locating  and 


66  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

building  in  the  "old  town."  During  this  swell  of  prosperity.  Dr.  W. 
S.  Van  Cleve  was  instrumental  in  having  the  public  square  enclosed, 
and  the  weeds  cut,  which  gave  the  new  court-house  quite  a  "said 
and  aforesaid"  appearance,  the  only  eye-sore  being  the  old  log  jail, 
which  graced,  or  disgraced  the  eastern  side  of  the  new  building. 
Thus  during  the  first  twenty  years  of  Mount  Vernon's  existence,  it 
had  three  so-called  court-houses,  but  they  were  not  "permanent," 
like  the  seat  of  justice. 

Thus  far  there  had  been  but  little  incentive  to  grow  crops,  for 
there  was  no  market.  Each  settler  raised  his  own  corn,  potatoes  and 
"garden  sass,"  but  no  more  than  enough  for  home  consumption. 
Hard  times  were  the  rule  especially  by  the  time  spring  put  in  its  ap- 
pearance. About  all  the  settler  had  to  trade  with  were  hen's  eggs, 
pelts,  hides,  etc.,  except  occasionally  the  men  and  children  would 
go  into  the  woods  and  dig  "ginseng,"  which  would  bring  about  three 
dollars  per  pound,  and  that  would  make  the  whole  family  feel 
aristocratic.  The  cattle  and  hogs  wintered  themselves — as  to  fresh 
meat,  there  was  no  trouble ;  the  head  of  the  family  would  take  down 
his  gun  and  go  a  little  way  into  the  woods,  bring  in  game  of  dif- 
ferent kinds,  for  breakfast,  dinner  or  supper,  whenever  needed,  and 
everybody  had  a  little  corn  patch  for  bread,  but  there  were  no  means 
to  reduce  the  corn  to  meal  except  with  those  who  were  lucky  enough 
to  have  mortars  and  pestles,  or  those  who  would  hollow  out  the  top 
surface  of  a  big  stump  and  beat  the  essence  out  of  it  with  a  hammer 
or  stone.  There  were  no  mills  for  a  long  while,  until  this  prosperous 
period  just  recorded. 

Perhaps  there  could  be  no  more  appropriate  closing  of  this 
chapter  than  to  give  the  life-sketch  of  the  next  character  to  the  two 
prominent  citizens  given  in  the  preceding  chapter,  in  no  less  a  per- 
sonage than 

Noah  Johnston.     He   was   a    land-mark,   and   favorably 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  67 

known  to  all  in  his  day  and  generation.  He  has  passed  away,  but 
still  liveth.  He  liveth  today  in  history,  and  in  the  memory  of  the 
people  where  he  had  his  earthly  existence.  His  life  stands  out  as  it 
were  a  friendly  guide  board,  ready  to  point  out  to  the  traveler  the 
rocks  and  snares  on  the  road  of  life.  He  was  a  gentleman  of  the  old 
school — a  gentleman  by  nature.  His  life  and  labors  were  long  and 
eventful  and  along  the  line  of  march  he  spent  few  idle  moments. 
With  active  thought  and  mind  he  suffered  but  few  events  to  pass 
unheeded.  He  was  a  grand  man,  and  worthy  of  being  a  citizen  of  the 
best  county  in  the  best  state  of  the  Union.  As  a  boy  we  almost  idol- 
ized him ;  as  a  man,  we  remember  him  as  the  ideal  of  what  an  Amer- 
ican citizen  should  be.  He  lives  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen.  He 
was  born  in  Virginia,  1  799,  came  to  Jefferson  county,  via  Kentucky 
and  Indiana.  He  married  Mary  Bullock  in  Indiana,  and  they 
came  to  Jefferson  county  and  raised  their  family.  Here,  in  storm 
and  sunshine  they  trod  the  road  of  life  together,  doing  what  they 
could  to  better  the  world  and  now  their  bodies  lie  together  in  the 
cemetery,  while  their  spirits  are  basking  together  in  that  bliss  un- 
known to  earth. 

At  first  the  major  was  engaged  in  farming  and  merchandising, 
but  was  not  very  successful.  In  1 838  he  was  elected  to  the  State 
Senate,  to  represent  this  and  Hamilton  counties,  and  during  his  term 
of  four  years  much  important  legislation  was  passed  upon.  During 
the  term  the  state  capital  was  removed  from  Vandalia  to  Springfield, 
where  for  some  years  the  Legislature  was  held  in  a  church.  Abra- 
ham Lincoln  was  a  member  of  the  same  session  and  led  the  removal 
project,  together  with  other  prominent  men  from  the  central  part  of 
the  state.  In  1 852,  Major  Johnston,  Abraham  Lincoln  and  Judge 
Dickey  were  appointed  a  commission  to  take  and  report  the  evidence 
on  claims  filed  against  the  state  on  account  of  the  construction  of  the 
Illinois  Canal.     In  1845  he  was  enrolling  and  engrossing  clerk  of 


68  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

the  Senate,  and  under  his  inspection  passed  the  entire  revision  of 
1845,  which  is  said  to  be  the  best  the  state  ever  had.  In  1846,  he 
was  elected  as  a  "floater"  to  the  General  Assembly,  from  the  coun- 
ties of  Jefferson,  Hamilton  and  Franklin.  After  his  return  home, 
he  was  appointed  army  paymaster,  and  ordered  to  St.  Louis  for 
duty.  The  bond  was  two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  he  did  not 
feel  like  asking  anybody  to  go  on  it,  but  his  friends  rallied  around 
him  and  made  his  bond  good.  He  reported  for  duty  and  opened 
and  took  charge  of  the  office.  At  one  time  he  went  to  Leaven- 
worth with  two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  in  the  spring  of  1 848, 
crossed  the  plains  with  one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  He  traveled 
twenty-five  thousand  miles,  received  and  paid  out  two  million  dol- 
lars and  never  lost  a  cent.  While  in  this  position  the  major,  by 
economy,  saved  enough  from  his  salary  to  relieve  him  of  his  financial 
embarrassments. 

In  November,  1 854,  Finney  D.  Preston  resigned  the  office  of 
Clerk  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  Major  Johnson  was  appointed  in 
his  stead;  elected  to  same  in  1855  and  1861 .  In  1866  he  was  again 
elected  to  Legislature,  from  Jefferson  and  Franklin  counties.  Be- 
sides these  places  of  honor  and  trust,  he  served  on  a  board  to  super- 
intend the  construction  of  the  Supreme  court-house,  as  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  as  postmaster  (although  he  permitted  Daniel  Kenney  to 
draw  the  pay)  and  was  deputy  United  States  Marshal  under 
Stinson  H.  Anderson  and  president  of  the  First  National  Bank. 

He  was  a  man  of  good,  hard  sense,  no  surplus  words,  a  wise 
and  honest  counsel,  and  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  all  with  whom  he 
had  dealings.  He  witnessed  every  material  improvement  and  advance- 
ment made  by  our  county  and  state,  and  has  contributed  largely  to 
the  same.  As  a  partisan  he  was  a  Democrat  of  the  old  school,  al- 
ways ready  to  give  a  reason  for  the  faith  that  was  in  him — a  friend 
to  the  churches  and  the  schools,  and  every  improvement  that  was 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  69 

worthy  of  support.  In  no  position,  public  or  private,  was  ever 
lodged  the  least  stain  on  his  character,  straightforward,  plain,  frank, 
honest,  the  noblest  American  of  them  all.  Born  in  1800,  he  de- 
parted this  life  just  before  his  eighty-eighth  birthday,  lamented  by 
the  people  of  the  entire  county.  He  was  buried  beside  his  wife  in 
Oakwood. 

Edward  N.  Johnston,  youngest  son,  is  the  sole  survivior  of 
the  family,  and  resides  at  the  old  homestead,  which  he  has  improved 
and  modernized.  He  has  many  characteristics  of  his  revered  father, 
and  is  a  staid  and  substantial  citizen,  engaged  somewhat  in  farming, 
and  a  stockholder  in  the  bank  of  which  his  father  was  at  one  time 
president. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Still  More  about  Mount  Vernon  and  Better — It's  Growth  and 
Development  as  it  Grows  Older— Its  Business  Men — Its  Prosperity 
— Its  Present  and  Future. 

Haste  not!   Rest  not!     Calmly  wait; 
Meekly  bear  the  storms  of  fate! 
Duty  be  thy  polar  guide — 
Do   the   right,   whate'er   betide! 
Haste  not!     Rest  not!     Conflicts   past, 
God  shall  crown  the  work  at  last. 

Aside  from  the  old  Goshen  road,  there  were  no  roads  except 
bridle  paths.  No  road  touched  Mount  Vernon  for  a  couple  of 
year  after  it  was  laid  off.  The  new  road  from  Crenshaw's  went  to 
Isaac  Casey's  on  Beal's  Hill,  but  roads  soon  came  and  have  con- 
stantly increased  since.  Doctor  Johnson  says  the  first  religious  or- 
ganization in  Mount  Vernon  was  at  the  log  court-house,  in  1 820,  by 
Jacob  Norton,  Joseph  Jordan,  Oliver  Morris,  and  Overton  Har- 
low, and  they  were  Baptists.  And  not  long  after  a  log  church  was 
raised  near  the  creek,  but  it  was  not  much  used  and  the  meetings 
were  moved  to  William  Hicks,  two  miles  west  of  town.  But  the 
church  at  the  creek  was  still  used  occasionally  until  Newby  bought 
and  converted  it  into  a  blacksmith  shop,  and  there  George  Starner 
and  Jefferson  Stephenson,  afterwards  County  Judge  of  Washington 
county,  hammered  iron  for  many  years.  The  Baptist  church  was 
built  north  of  the  Fairfield  road,  where  the  trail  used  to  run  north 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  71 

of  the  Franklin  school.  It,  too,  was  near  the  creek,  supposedly  be- 
cause there  was  much  need  of  water  there.  Afterwards  another 
house  was  built  which  would  now  be  inside  the  old  fair  grounds, 
if  standing.  Mount  Vernon  continued  to  build  up.  George  Pace 
sold  the  lot  where  Strattan's  hardware  store  stands,  to  John  Van 
Cleve,  and  moved  to  Salem  in  1836;  W.  W.  Pace  built  a  cabin 
where  the  Ham  bank  stands ;  Ed  Ridgway  built  a  high-roofed  house 
where  Wise  is,  and  S.  G.  Hicks  sold  goods  in  it  for  a  while  and  then 
built  where  Buckham  is.  Later  Hicks  built  near  where  the  Metho- 
dist church  stands.  Ben  Miller  bought  it  and  moved  it  to  his  lot, 
where  the  Summers  house  stands.  S.  H.  Anderson  used  to  live  in 
a  cabin  about  where  Doctor  Green's  office  is,  until  he  traded  what 
was  the  Green  farm  to  Ed  Ridgway  for  a  farm  in  Elk  Prairie,  and 
moved  to  it.  John  Bostwick  kept  a  rough  house — a  doggery,  so- 
called,  on  the  Fergeron  lot  until  one  night  it  fell  down  and  scattered 
itself  all  over  the  street,  and  then  John  went  to  the  new  town  of 
Rome,  and  started  a  grocery  there,  after  he  had  hired  Asa  Watson 
to  build  the  first  house  in  Rome. 

In  1 830,  Doctor  Adams  built  a  house  where  Grant's  store  now 
is.  He  sold  it  to  H.  T.  Pace,  for  twenty  dollars,  he  to  Burchett 
Maxey  for  twenty-five  dollars;  he  to  Oliver  Morris  for  thirty-five 
dollars.  Baugh  built  a  store  on  the  north  side,  and  a  two-story 
frame  a  little  east  of  it,  but  sold  them  and  rented  Van  Cleve's 
house.  Doctor  Allen  came  and  bought  the  Baugh  place,  and  put 
a  glass  front  in  it — known  as  the  old  glass  house.  Noah  Johnston  and 
Bullock  merchandised  on  where  the  Mammoth  now  stands.  Green 
Daniels  built  on  the  corner  of  Ninth  and  Jordan  streets,  and  lived 
there;  Samuel  Goodrich  afterwards  lived  there.  Green  Daniels 
built  a  cabin  northeast  of  the  court-house.  Bowman  got  it  and  built 
a  house  in  front  of  it,  and  let  Rhoelam  Allen  sell  it  to  Rev.  John 
Johnson,  and  that  was  his  home  until    he    died — where  the  Wise 


11 


WALL  S  HISTORY  OF  JEFFERSON   CO.,  ILL. 


Clothing  Store  now  stands;  James  Ross,  a  hatter,  came  and  buiU  a 
shop  where  the  Economy  store  stands.  A.  D.  Estes  built  a  grocery 
store  on  the  Mammoth  corner.  Absalom  Estes  built  just  west 
of  the  grocery  store,  remained  on  the  corner  until  Castles  came  and 
bought  it  and  built  on  a  residence ;  there  it  stood  until  Crews  bought 
it.  W.  B.  Thorn  bought  the  lot  south  of  Hobbs  Mill,  Ninth  street. 
He  started  a  blacksmith  shop  and  lived  in  the  rear.  In  1837,  John 
Johnson  built  a  log  house  where  the  City  hotel  stands,  the  Doctors 
Greetham  and  T.  B.  Johnson  used  it  as  an  office.  Thorn  sold  his 
blacksmith  shop  and  moved  to  the  red  house  about  where  Hawkins 
bakery  stands.  Alfred  Potee  built  where  E.  M.  Walker  lives. 
The  Lamar  boys  built  a  house  on  what  is  now  the  east  end  of  the 
Mrs.  Joel  Watson  property,  and  Mrs.  Foley  Blackhawk,  Williams 
and  Decovey  lived  there.  Doctor  Greetham  built  where  Hitch- 
cocks'  gallery  is.  Reverend  Phelps  built  on  south  Casey  and 
Ridgway  put  up  a  row  of  houses  on  what  is  now  Broadway  from 
Eleventh  to  the  middle  of  the  block,  west.  Jarvis  Pierce  built  the 
Mount  Vernon  Inn,  opposite  the  Methodist  church,  and  sold  it  to 
Eli  Anderson,  and  when  Grant  came  in,  he  bought  the  school-house 
that  stood  near  Noah  Johnston's,  and  added  to  it  the  east  end  of  the 
hotel.  The  Joel  Watson  house  was  built,  and  the  Baltzell  house, 
just  west  of  Watson  and  the  Melcher  house  which  stood  near  the 
Mount  Vernon  Inn.  D.  Baugh  built  the  house  which  stood  on 
Herrins  corner.  Thomas  Cunningham  built  the  house  where 
Charles  Pool  now  lives.  M.  Tromley  built  the  house  where  the 
mattress  factory  now  stands,  and  John  Livingston  the  one  where 
Ward's  house  now  stands.  The  Caesar  and  Guyler  cabins  went 
up  where  the  Carter  property  now  is,  and  all  the  travelers  stopped 
and  bought  ginger  cakes  and  cider,  from  Aunt  Mariah,  as  she  al- 
ways kept  out  the  sign  for  the  benefit  of  travelers.  W.  Prigmore 
built  where  Mrs.  Klinker  lives,  Johnny  Smith  where  the  Mahaffy 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,  ILL.  73 

house  stands.  Tom  Pace  built  west  of  the  old  Odd  Fellows'  hall ; 
McAtee  got  it  and  it  formed  a  part  of  the  Johnny  Bogan  place. 
Hiram  McLaughlin  built  on  Casey  street.  Doctor  Gray  got  it,  then 
Nelson  owned  it.  So  it  will  be  seen  that  considerable  prosperity 
struck  Mount  Vernon  during  the  forties.  Dealers  had  to  obtain  the 
license  in  those  days,  and  Joel  Pace,  Handle  and  Grant.  E.  H. 
Ridgway,  W.  W.  Pace,  Harvey  T.  Pace,  Eli  Anderson,  H.  B. 
Newby,  D.  Baugh,  Noah  Johnston,  Dr.  Adam  Sanderson  and 
Eastes,  Thompson  and  Johnson,  B.  Wells,  A.  D.  Estes,  Hick- 
man and  Witherspoon,  L.  C.  Moss.  A.  B.  Watson,  James  Kirby, 
James  Bowman,  S.  G.  Hicks,  Van  Cleve,  and  others  took  out  li- 
cese  and  it  seemed  that  business  was  certainly  on  the  boom.  Peltry 
was  the  chief  money  of  the  county,  and  the  road  to  St.  Louis  was 
kept  hot  sending  in  the  skins  which  were  swapped  for  goods  or 
money. 

The  second  court-house  was  built  and  prosperity  spread  her- 
self. The  academy  was  also  built  about  this  time,  and  new  citizens 
came  along  in  a  hurry.  During  this  business  period  Mount  Vernon's 
population  was  increased  by  such  good  citizens  as  Jonas  Eddy, 
Castles,  Baltzel,  Doctor  Short,  Schank,  Phelps,  Hinman,  Thomas, 
Clement,  Nelson,  Doctor  Caldwell,  Doctor  Roe,  Doctor  Gray, 
Kahn,  Stephenson,  Palmer,  Barrett,  Tromly,  Barnes,  Seimer,  and 
soon  after  came  Green,  Mills,  Preston,  McAtee,  Bogan,  Condit. 
A  few  years  later,  Stratton,  Pavey  and  Fergerson  came  to  town, 
and  then  business  commenced  in  earnest.  Stratton  bought  the 
Jacky  Johnson  farm,  swapped  it  for  a  big  stock  of  goods,  took  in 
James  Fergerson  as  a  partner,  took  under  their  wings  J.  D.  John- 
son, Westbrook  and  others,  and  got  down  to  trading,  milling,  and 
almost  anything  that  would  bring  the  people  and  their  money  to 
town.  Varnell  came  and  added  largely  to  the  business  hubbub,  and 
Mount  Vernon  was  the  center  of  all  creation  so  far  as  we  knew. 


74  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

for  we  had  no  telegraphy,  telephones,  railroads  or  daily  papers  to 
tell  us  what  other  folks  were  doing.  And  it  was  "get  there,"  and 
don't  forget  it.  Varnell  built  the  Continental  Hotel,  the  New  York 
store,  and  many  other  buildings.  The  Methodist  church,  the  John- 
son House  were  built,  the  Supreme  court-house,  the  Presbyterian 
church  and  many  other  houses  were  going  up  like  rockets  and  there 
were  good  times  galore.  But  along  came  the  war  and  stopped 
everything,  and  not  until  the  coming  of  the  first  railroad,  in  1869. 
did  the  prosperity  resume  operations.  Then  the  coming  of  the  road 
and  the  spreading  of  the  town  gave  an  impetus  to  the  work  that  has 
almost  constantly  gone  on  since.  But  our  remarks  as  to  the  town 
must  be  general,  for  it  has  become  too  large  for  little  fellows  like  us 
to  handle  in  detail.  The  railroad  built  shops  here,  and  people  came 
flocking  in  from  everywhere  to  help  boom  the  town,  and  like  Mr. 
Finney's  turnip  behind  the  barn,  it  grew  and  it  grew  and  it  still 
keeps  growing.  After  the  coming  of  the  roads,  three  trunk  lines,  and 
one  cut-off.  Mount  Vernon  has  never  seriously  suffered  for  trade,  be- 
cause she  has  had  first  class  dealers,  always  ready  to  serve  all 
comers.  With  such  business  men  as  we  have  had  during  the  past 
fifty  years — the  Varnells,  the  Stratton-Fergerson's,  the  Ham-Tay- 
lor's, the  Nugents  (for  be  it  remembered  that  the  great  Nugent  firm 
of  St.  Louis,  got  their  start  in  Mount  Vernon) ,  the  Johnsons,  the 
Wards,  the  CuUis,  McAttees,  the  Hobbs  and  Paveys,  and  many 
others  that  have  held  forth  along  the  years.  Mount  Vernon  could 
not  fail  to  please  and  succeed.  All  this  refers  to  the  general  trade, 
to  say  nothing  of  the  special  lines  represented  by  hundreds  of  equally 
as  good  men  as  those  named  above.  We  allude  to  this  now,  so  that 
special  lines  may  fall  into  their  proper  places,  and  that  we  may  show 
that  Mount  Vernon  is  up-to-date  in  all  departments.  The  lawyers, 
doctors  and  others  will  have  the  benefit  of  another  chapter.  It  is 
now  two  miles  across  Mount  Vernon's  corporate  limits  in  either  di- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  75 

rection,  whereas,  it  first  only  embraced  twenty  acres.  It  has  a  pop- 
ulation of  ten  thousand  people,  and  still  growing  to  "beat  the  band. 
It  has  four  railroads,  telegraphs  and  telephones  galore,  electric 
lights,  inexhaustible  water  works,  gas  plant,  heating  plant,  many 
miles  of  improved  streets,  perhaps  ten  miles  of  good  sidewalks,  and 
all  the  modern  improvements,  and  a  city  council  that  is  wide-awake 
for  the  city's  best  interests.  It  contains  the  Mount  Vernon  car  and 
manufacturing  shops,  employing  about  seven  hundred  men,  due 
notice  of  which  plant  will  be  given  elsewhere,  a  preserving  factory, 
a  knitting  factory,  and  many  smaller  factories — all  up  to  date. 
Brick  streets  and  granitoid  pavements  were  inaugurated  under  May- 
or S.  H.  Watson  in  1892,  and  are  still  going  on  with  vigor.  There 
is  hardly  a  block  that  cannot  be  reached  dry  shod,  and  the  end  is 
not  in  sight.  As  soon  as  township  organization  was  adopted,  the 
county  ordered  a  new  court-house,  with  G.  W.  Evans,  W.  A.  Wil- 
bank,  Samuel  Johnson,  D.  H.  Warren  and  John  McConnell,  as 
building  committee.  It  was  built,  but  blown  down  by  the  cyclone 
in  1888,  and  was  rebuilt  larger  and  better.  It  shows  for  itself  in 
the  public  square.  It  is  too  late  now  to  particularize  about  these 
things.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  public  spirited  citizens  have  de- 
manded these  improvements,  and  their  many  fine  homes  in  the  city 
show  that  while  they  demand  public  improvements,  they  begin  at 
home  in  the  matter  of  showing  what  ought  to  be  done.  So  with 
these  broad  and  truthful  statements,  we  will  give  Mount  Vernon  a 
rest,  at  least  for  a  season,  while  we  turn  our  attention  to  other  de- 
partments of  Jefferson  county  history.  Mount  Vernon  now  has  free 
mail  delivery,  requiring  six  carriers  to  cover  the  territory  which  is  a 
great  convenience,  especially  for  the  people  in  the  outlying  sections 
of  the  city.  The  system  was  inaugurated  when  Captain  S.  H.  Wat- 
son was  postmaster  and  the  writer  was  his  assistant.  Many  other 
improvements  are  in    contemplation.     One    which    strikes    all  the 


76  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

people  favorably  is  the  erection  of  a  union  depot,  which  will  be  an 
honor  to  the  city  and  a  great  convenience  to  the  traveling  public,  ob- 
viating the  neccesity  of  having  to  walk  or  be  carted  from  one  part  of 
the  city  to  another,  in  order  to  make  the  transfer  from  one  road  to 
the  other,  and  also  hire  the  baggage  transferred.  This  is  one  of 
the  pressing  needs  of  the  city,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  roads 
will  see  the  importance  of  getting  together  and  building  this  union 
depot,  as  no  improvement  is  more  sorely  needed.  Other  important 
improvements  are  coming,  but  we  leave  them  to  be  recorded  by  the 
next  historian. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

MORE  ABOUT  THE  OLDEST  SETTLERS. 

The  Caseys,   the   Maxeys,   the   Johnsons,   the   Watsons,   the 
Paces,  Baughs  and  Others. 

"Life's  more  than  breath. 

And  the  quick  round  of  blood; 

'Tis  a  great  spirit  and  a  busy  heart. 

We  hve  in  deeds,  not  years. 

In  thoughts,  not  breaths. 

In  feeHngs,  not  in  figures  on  the  dial. 

We  should  count  time  by  heart-throbs. 

He  most  lives  who  thinks  most. 

Feels  the  noblest,  acts  the  best; 

It  matters  not  how  long  we  live,  but  how. 

In  speaking  of  the  first  citizens  of  Jefferson  county  as  being 
men  and  women  of  stalwart  character  for  honesty  and  integrity,  we 
do  not  mean  to  convey  the  idea  that  they  were  without  their  faults, 
for  by  tracing  their  history  we  find  that  they  had  "weak  spots," 
like  the  rest  of  mankind.  Neither  would  we  lionize  them  because 
they  lived  to  a  "ripe  old  age,"  but  because  they  had  for  their 
motto:  "What's  brave,  what's  noble,  let's  do  it."  And  because,  as 
one  of  them  expresses  it: 

"It's  nothing  against  you  to  fall  down  flat. 
But  to  lie  there,  that's  disgrace." 


78  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL. 

And  this  is  the  class  of  people  we  are  writing  about  in  this 
chapter — such  as  the  Caseys,  the  Maxeys,  the  Johnsons,  the  Wat- 
sons, the  Paces,  the  Baughs,  etc.  Mr.  Johnson  alludes  to  a  general 
fight  that  took  place  in  New  Mount  Vernon  in  1820,  in  which 
nearly  everybody  took  part.  It  seemed  that  somebody  said  that  the 
Caseys  and  Maxeys  were  going  to  rule  the  county.  John  Abbott 
wanted  to  refute  that  idea  and  threatened  to  thrash  the  first  Casey 
or  Maxey  he  met — which  happened  to  be  Elihu  Maxey.  At  it  they 
went  and  soon  the  entire  population  was  interested,  excited,  and 
even  "Uncle"  Jimmy  Johnson  threw  his  straw  hat  high  in  the  air  and 
invited  any  other  man  who  wanted  to  fight  to  come  forward.  Jim 
Abbott  said,  "Anyone  that  whips  John  Abbott  will  have  to  thrash 
me."  The  whole  outfit  had  their  coats  off,  ready  for  the  fray;  but 
in  a  few  minutes  the  storm  blew  over  and  "peace  reigned  in  War- 
saw"— or  rather,  where  they  "war  saw"  a  short  time  before.  It 
was  no  unusual  thing  for  part  of  the  population  to  settle  their  dif- 
ferences by  fist-i-cuffs,  but  this  was  the  first  outbreak  among  the 
better  citizens. 

Aunt  Suky  Johnson  in  her  memoirs  fifteen  years  later,  also  gives 
Mount  Vernon  a  black  eye,  when  in  her  account  of  her  new  home 
she  says:  "We  found  Mount  Vernon  a  'hard  place.'  There  were 
only  five  professors  of  religion  in  town — two  Baptists  and  three 
Methodists,  and  the  same  number  of  groceries — five.  There  was 
no  church;  two  blacksmith  shops,  three  stores  and  a  half  a  dozen 
log  houses;  not  a  fence  in  town  except  crooked  rail  fences,  and 
these  were  buried  under  a  luxurious  growth  of  elder,  polk  and  jim- 
son  weeds.  Saturday  was  always  a  lively  day.  The  Moores,  Jor- 
dans,  the  Long  Prairie  and  Horse  Creek  gangs,  came  to  town,  and 
from  two  to  six  fights  took  place,  and  that  A  had  his  nose  bitten  off, 
or  B  had  his  jaw-bone  broken,  or  C  had  his  eyes  blackened>  etc., 
etc.,  were  the  items  that  went  to  make  up   the   gossip  of  the  day. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  79 

Races  and  shooting  matches,  open  grogeries  on    Sunday    and  the 
fence  corners  full  of  drunken  men,  were  part  of  the  exercises." 

But  all  this  was  the  "other  side"  of  the  story  of  our  first  set- 
tlers. The  Christianity  of  the  Caseys,  Maxeys  and  Johnsons  and 
others  soon  began  to  tell  on  the  town  and  county,  and  has  pro- 
gressed through  the  succeeding  generations  until  now  we  find  the  en- 
tire county  equal  in  civilization  and  refinement  to  any  part  of  the 
country,  and  as  to  Mount  Vernon,  it  may  very  appropriately  be 
termed  the  Athens  of  Southern  Illinois. 

THE  CASEYS. 

The  Casey  family  was  the  most  numerous  at  the  start,  both  in 
the  south,  and  in  the  first  settlement  of  Jefferson  county.  We  have 
already  given  the  life  and  services  of  Zadok  Casey.  His  father  was 
Randolph,  a  warrior  under  Gen.  Francis  Marion.  Of  his  chil- 
dren— Zadok,  Samuel,  Levi,  Isaac,  all  came  to  Jefferson  county, 
and  have  been  noticed.  We  are  just  in  receipt  of  a  letter  from 
Oakland,  California,  from  Mrs.  Mellie  Casey  Rockwell,  in  which 
she  says:  "My  father,  William  B.  (Buck)  Casey,  was  born  in  Jef- 
ferson county,  Illinois,  in  June,  1821,  the  second  male  child  born  in 
the  county — son  of  William  and  Amy  (Barker)  Casey.  Uncle 
Blackford  Casey,  my  father's  oldest  brother,  was  born  in  June, 
1815,  and  was  the  very  first  male  child  born  in  what  is  now  Jefferson 
county.  My  mother  is  still  living  at  the  age  of  eighty-three ;  my 
father  died  in  1884.  Uncle  Blackford  Casey  passed  away  in  De- 
cember, 1892.  His  oldest  son,  Greetham  Casey,  who  was  born  in 
Jefferson  county,  seventy  years  ago,  now  lives  in  Covine,  Los  An- 
geles county,  California.  My  mother  taught  school  in  Mount  Ver- 
non in  1850."  This  reminds  us  that  there  are  fewer  Caseys  in  old 
Jefferson  today  than  there  were  in  those  early  days.     They  have 


80  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

moved  on  with  civilization  and  become  less  prolific,  perhaps.     The 
same  may  be  said  of  the  Maxeys,  and  Johnsons,  also,  for  they  are 
fewer  now  than  then.     William  Casey,  Jr.,  came  here  in    1836; 
he  was  the  father  of  Blackford,  Maletna,  Buck,  Abraham,  Drury 
B.,  Thomas,  Melissa  and  Zadok,  Jr.     He  used  to  live  northwest 
two  miles  on  what  is  now  the  Centralia  road.     Abraham  T.,  Wil- 
liam's brother,  married  Valinda  Maxey,  located  on  Salem  road  and 
preached  "around."     His  children  were  Harriet,  who  married  Dr. 
W.  S.  Van  Cleve;  Catherine,  who  married  Mont  Morrow;  Bel- 
veretta,  who  married  J.  R.  Walker;  Elizabeth,  who  married  John 
Sproul;  Martha,  who  married  Dr.  Shirley,  and  Lafayette,  an  itin- 
erant preacher.     Thomas  M.  Casey,  afterwards  known  as  "Uncle 
Tommy,"  married  Harriet  Maxey.     They  had  eleven  children  and 
we  remember:  Clinton  M.,  Jane,  WiUiam,  Cynthia,  Mary,  Barger, 
Rebecca,  Nanny,  Abraham  and    Rhoda.     Abraham    P.  died  in 
Missouri,  leaving  his  children;  John  C,  Green    P.,    Franklin  S., 
Martin  S.,  Isaac,  Clarissa  and  Elizabeth,  in  this  county.     John  C. 
married  Polly  Casey,  Green  P.  married  Margaret  Watkins,  Frank- 
lin S.  married  Rhoda  Taylor.    He  lived  on  the  Richview  road,  near 
Grand  Prairie,  and  died  there.     Thomas  J.  and  Robert  were  his 
sons.      Mrs.  Lew  Beale  was  his    daughter.     Lewis  F.  Casey,  in 
giving  an  account  of  his  father's  family.  Green  P.  Casey,  says:  "My 
grandfather  was  Abraham  P.     My    grandfather  on  my  mother's 
side  was  Lewis  Watkins.     My  parents  were  married  in  Mount  Ver- 
non in  1820,  went  to  farming  out  in  the  woods,  with  nothing  but 
bears,  deer  and  coons  to  molest  them.     My  brothers,  Abraham  and 
Hiram,  died  in  childhood;  my  sisters  married  as  follows:  Harriet 
married  George  Seward ;  May  A.  married  John  T.  Smith ;  Nancy 
A.  married  Henry  Phillips;  Sarah  A.  married  John  WiUis;  Mahala 
P.  married  Dr.  John  Murphy;    Margaret  married  Capt.  D.  M. 
Short,  of  Texas,  and  Rhoda  Ellen  married  Alfred  Galbreath.  Also 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  81 

two  sisters,  Arabella  and  Isabella,  both  of  whom  died  young. 
Green  P.  died  in  1857,  and  his  wife  in  1866,  mourned  by  all  who 
knew  them."  Lewis  F.,  the  surviving  son  of  this  family,  was  made 
surveyor  of  Jefferson  county  at  the  age  of  twenty;  was  Commis- 
sioner to  take  the  census  of  the  county  m  1 845 ;  was  lieutenant  of 
Company  H,  Second  Regiment,  in  Mexico;  represented  his  native 
county  (Jefferson)  in  the  Legislature  in  1847.  He  moved  to  Texas 
in  1852,  was  chosen  Prosecuting  Attorney;  elected  to  the  State  Sen- 
ate in  1861  ;  was  surrounded  by  secession  sentiment  and  served  the 
cause  until  it  railed;  then  returned  to  Illinois;  began  to  practice  law 
at  Centralia,  and  died  there  a  few  years  ago.  His  wife  was  Mary 
J.,  daughter  of  Governor  Z.  Casey.  Samuel  K.  Casey,  eldest  son 
of  Governor  Casey,  bought  the  old  homestead  (now  the  Chance 
place)  and  lived  and  died  there  after  serving  in  both  houses  of  the 
Legislature,  serving  as  warden  of  the  penitentiary,  and  being  large- 
ly instrumental  in  securing  Mount  Vernon  her  first  railroad.  He 
is  survived  by  Samuel  Casey,  a  prominent  real  estate  dealer  of 
Mount  Vernon.  Thomas  S.  Casey,  son  of  Zadok,  also  served  in 
both  houses  of  the  Legislature,  as  Circuit  Judge,  and  for  a  while 
as  colonel  in  the  war,  and  for  many  years  he  was  prominent  in  the 
law  and  at  one  time  was  on  the  Appellate  Court  bench.  Newton 
Casey,  another  son  of  Zadok,  also  served  in  the  Legislature,  and 
other  public  positions.  Mahala,  his  daughter,  married  a  Mr. 
Dwight  and  Judge  Samuel  L.  Dwight,  of  Centralia,  is  their  sur- 
viving child.  He  married  Capt.  R.  D.  Noleman's  daughter.  The 
other  Casey  descendants  in  Jefferson  county  have  proven  themselves 
good  useful  citizens  in  the  private  walks  of  life,  and  none  of  them 
have  ever  wrought  disgrace  on  the  Casey  name,  and  Jefferson  county 
may  consider  herself  fortunate  in  having  the  Caseys  for  her  first  in- 
habitants. Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  Casey  family  have  left  their 
impress  on  Jefferson  county,  although  the  greater  number  of  them 


82  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

have  passed  over  the  divide,  where  they  await    the  grand  Casey 
reunion  on  the  other  side. 

THE  MAXEYS. 

In  the  early  settlement  of  the  county,  the  Maxey  family  comes 
next.  Jesse  Maxey,  of  Tennessee,  had  several  children:  William, 
Edward,  Walter,  John  and  Elizabeth.  William,  who  was  mar- 
ried, came  to  Illinois  in  1818,  and  was  appointed  Justice  of  the 
Peace.  He  tried  to  marry  Ransom  Moss  and  Anna  Johnson,  and 
"broke  down"  completely.  Some  say  he  commenced  on  the  Dec- 
laration of  Independence;  backed  off  and  tackled  the  Constitution 
of  the  United  States,  and  finally  got  through,  but  Governor  Casey 
twitted  him  with  saying  that  the  Lord  instituted  matrimony  in  the 
days  of  men's  "ignorance"  instead  of  "innocence."  He  finally 
concluded  with  the  invocation:  "And  may  the  Lord  have  mercy 
on  your  souls."  And  thus  ended  the  first  marriage  ceremony  ever 
"pulled  off"  in  Jefferson  county.  Mr.  Maxey  was  a  good  man,  if 
not  very  learned.  His  children  were:  Clarissa,  Henry  B.,  Bennett 
N.,  Elihu,  Harriet,  Vylinda,  Charles  H.,  JoshuaC,  William  M.  A. 
and  Jehu.  Burchett  Maxey  came  in  time  to  buy  a  lot  and  build  the 
first  house  ever  built  in  Mount  Vernon.  He  married  Peggy  Taylor 
and  their  children  were:  Eliza,  who  married  Col.  S.  G.  Hicks; 
W.  P.,  Thomas  B.,  Elizabeth  (married  Breeze)  ;  Elihu  K.,  John 
H.,  James  C,  who  married  Nancy  Moss,  and  still  lives  in  Mount 
Vernon;  Edward  K.,  Jehu  J.,  Henry  B.,  Franklin  C.  and  Harvey 
M.  Walter  S.,  Henry,  Oscar  and  Frank,  are  sons  of  James  C. 
and  Nancy  (Moss)  Maxey;  Mrs.  Sugg,  her  daughter. 

Henry  N.  Maxey  was  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  with  General 
Jackson  at  New  Orleans.  His  children  were:  Emily,  William  H., 
James  J.,  Charles  H.,  Joshua  C,  Eliza  and  Thomas  J.     William 


wall's   history  of   JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  83 

and  James  were  preachers.  Elihu,  the  one  who  whipped  Abbott, 
married  EveHne  Taylor,  then  Sarah  Guthrie,  built  a  horse  mill,  was 
a  benefactor  and  met  accidental  death.  He  had  ten  children — 
Talina,  married  Mervel  Smith;  Perrigan  T.,  Henry,  William  C, 
Thomas,  Elizabeth,  Margaret  and  Eliza. 

Charles  H.  was  the  son  of  William  and  married  Sally  Bruce. 
His  children  were:  Caroline,  Mary,  Martha,  Drucilla.  F.  S. 
Parker  married  Caroline,  Joseph  Burke  married  Mary,  C.  D.  Frost 
married  Martha,  G.  A.  Collins  married  Susan,  and  James  M.  Swift 
married  Drucilla.  Joshua  Cannon,  son  of  William,  married  Susan 
Criswell,  and  their  daughters  were  Mrs.  M.  A.  Cummins  and  Mrs. 
John  C.  Tyler  and  son.     Thomas,  who  died  recently. 

Dr.  William  A.  Maxey,  youngest  son  of  William,  married 
Edna  Owens.  He  was  both  physician  and  preacher.  His  children 
were:  Simeon  W.,  Samuel  T.  (spoken  of  elsewhere),  William  C, 
Harriet  J.  (Mrs.  Satterfield),  Sarah  C.  (Mrs.  S.  Hill),  J.  Van, 
and  Nelson,  who  married  Miss  Burgen  and  lives  in  Iowa. 

John  Maxey,  son  of  Jesse,  came  in  1823  with  William  and 
Jonathan  Wells,  removed  to  Wayne  county  and  died.  Such,  in 
brief,  was  the  Maxey  families,  who  first  came  in  to  help  make  the 
county  and  mould  sentiments  of  good  citizenship,  and  along  both 
lines  they  have  been  eminently  successful. 

THE  JOHNSONS. 

Like  the  Caseys  and  Maxeys,  the  Johnsons  one  and  all  have 
been  prominent  from  the  earliest  settlement  of  the  county.  Benjamin 
Johnson,  the  ancestor  of  our  Jefferson  county  Johnsons,  was  a 
Marylander.  John,  a  son  of  his,  was  the  father  of  our  pioneers. 
Lewis,  the  son  of  this  John  Johnson,  was  among  our  very  first 
settlers.     He  had  nine  children — Milly,  Anna,  Lucy,  married  L. 


84  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

Foster  and  they  lost  their  house  by  fire  and  their  infant  son  was 
cremated;  James  E.  Johnson  was  the  eldest  son  of  Lewis.  He  was 
quite  a  preacher  and  improved  the  farm  where  John  T.  Johnson 
raised  his  family.  John  T.,  the  next  oldest  brother  of  James,  was 
licensed  to  preach  when  but  twenty  years  old.  He  joined  the  con- 
ference and  took  regular  work.  Nicholas  lived  in  Grand  Prairie 
and  died  there.  Elizabeth  married  G.  B.  AfP.ack,  of  Richview. 
Nancy  married  James  Barnes,  of  Richview.  Susan  married  A. 
Witherspoon,  and  went  to  Kentucky.  James  Johnson  second 
son  of  John,  married  Clarissa  Maxey  in  Tennessee,  and  came 
here  in  1818.  His  eldest  son,  John,  married  Sarah  Hobbs 
and  they  were  the  parents  of  our  present  Dr.  A.  Curt,  James  D. 
and  John  N.  Johnson,  Mrs.  Henry  T.  Waters  and  Mrs.  David  H. 
Summers.  He  was  an  enterprising  man,  a  physician,  but  chose 
rather  to  do  other  business.  He  merchandised  and  built  several 
houses  in  Mount  Vernon,  among  them  the  Johnson  House,  the  big 
brick  near  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  in  1854.  He  died, 
much  missed  and  lamented,  in  1 858. 

John,  the  youngest  brother  of  Lewis  and  James,  came  later,  in 
1 834,  and  located  in  Mount  Vernon.  He  died  here  in  1 858.  His 
children  were  Doctor  T.  B.,  who  died  in  Kentucky  in  1870;  the 
wife  of  Blackford  Casey;  J.  Fletcher;  Washington;  G.  Wesley,  J. 
Benson,  a  girl  and  boy  who  died  in  childhood,  and  Adam  Clark, 
the  faithful  historian  of  the  pioneers  of  Jefferson  county.  John 
Johnson,  "Uncle  Jacky,"  as  we  knew  him  in  our  boyhood  days, 
was  born  in  Virginia,  in  1  783 — born  in  poverty  and  left  an  orphan. 
By  the  help  of  a  slave  he  learned  the  alphabet,  and  after  he  was 
converted  in  his  teens,  he  could  not  read  intelligently.  But  by  the 
light  of  pine  knots  he  studied  the  Bible  at  night,  after  hard  days' 
work,  and  on  Sunday,  at  some  cabin  on  the  hillside  he  would  pro- 
claim the  Gospel  with  a  pathos  and  power  that  always  carried  the 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  85 

hearts  of  his  rustic  hearers  by  storm.  He  had  a  voice  of  unusual 
power  and  could  be  heard  two  miles  away.  His  discourses  were 
brief,  but  always  plain,  practical  and  convincing.  Yet  with  all  his 
rugged  vigor  his  heart  was  as  tender  as  a  woman's,  with  a  sympathy 
that  extended  even  to  the  insect  at  his  feet.  He  was  to  all  intents 
and  purposes,  a  pioneer  preacher  of  the  Cartwright  order,  except 
that  he  had  none  of  the  great  preacher's  belligerency.  He  traveled 
the  country  from  Ohio  to  Natchez,  in  Mississippi,  and  preached  at 
every  opportunity.  His  allotted  work  led  him  through  much  unin- 
habited country,  among  Indians,  wild  animals  and  equally  wild 
men,  but  always  trusting  in  the  Lord.  He  was  certainly  a  great 
preacher  and  a  very  remarkable  man.  Over  sixty  years  ago  we 
heard  him  preach  from  the  text:  "What  shall  it  profit  a  man  if  he 
gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul?"  and  we  have  never 
forgotten  the  text,  the  sermon,  nor  the  man.  His  widow  died  here 
in  1895,  and  his  sons  are  all  gone,  except  Washington  S.  The 
descendants  of  J.  Fletcher  and  G.  Wesley  are  still  in  our  midst,  and 
rank  among  our  very  best  people.  His  death  was  peaceful,  and 
triumphant.  Many  of  his  descendants  are  valued  citizens  of  Mount 
Vernon. 

"So  fades  a  summer  cloud  away. 
So  sinks  the  gale  when  storms  are  o'er; 
So  gently    shuts   the    eye   of   day. 
So  dies    a    wave    along    the    shore." 

THE  WATSONS. 

Dr.  John  Watson  came  to  Jefferson  county  in  1 82 1 ,  "squat- 
ting" for  the  winter  at  Mulberry  Hill  until  next  spring.  John  H. 
and  Asa  B.  built  a  large  crib  on  their  claim  north  of  town  (the  old 
Watson  place),  and  they  moved  to  it.     In  this  they  lived  until  the 


86  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

hickory  log  house  was  built.  They  tended  a  crop  near  Union  the 
first  year,  but  had  their  own  place  ready  for  business  by  the  next 
season.  The  head  of  the  family  was  a  physician — the  first  to  locate 
in  the  county.  His  quinine  cost  him  ten  dollars  and  fifty  cents  an 
ounce,  and  he  sent  east  for  an  ounce  of  veratrum,  and  it  cost  him 
forty  dollars,  which  showed  that  there  were  "trusts"  in  those  days 
as  well  as  now,  but  they  would  not  trust  the  country  doctor  for 
medicines.  The  people  in  those  days  were  quite  healthy  and  never 
thought  of  having  the  new-fangled  diseases  that  prevail  in  this  en- 
lightened age.  The  doctor  found  time  to  assess  the  entire  county, 
and  still  keep  up  his  practice,  for  which  service  he  received  seventeen 
dollars — about  enough  to  buy  an  ounce  of  quinine.  The  dressed 
fawn-skin  in  which  he  carried  his  Assessor's  books  is  still  in  the 
Clerk's  office.  He  left  the  farm  work  entirely  to  the  boys,  while  he 
attended  to  his  professional  and  official  duties.  The  wife  died 
March  3d,  and  the  doctor  died  June  3,  1845,  beloved  and  respected 
by  all  who  knew  them.  Their  children  were :  Virginia,  who  married 
John  Summers,  whose  mill  and  home  east  of  town  was  always  con- 
sidered the  most  hospitable  place  in  all  the  country;  John  H.,  who 
married  Betsy  Rankin,  and  their  children  were:  John  R.,  who  mar- 
ried and  died  in  Iowa;  William  D.,  who  at  an  advanced  age,  re- 
sides in  Colorado,  and  has  raised  a  large  family;  Thomas  P.,  who 
recently  died  without  offspring;  Milly  F.,  beloved  wife  of  the 
writer;  Samuel  H.,  long  prominent  in  the  politics  of  Jefferson  county, 
now  residing  in  Los  Angeles,  California;  Joel  P.,  postmaster  at 
Ashley;  Dr.  J.  H.,  practicing  physician  at  Woodlawn;  Amelia,  de- 
ceased, wife  of  B.  S.  Miller,  and  Nancy,  who  died  in  youth.  Then 
came  William  B.,  who  married  the  Leonard  girl  and  who  resided 
in  St.  Louis.  Then  Asa  B.,  who  married  Diana  Ham,  and  their 
children  were:  Andrew  J.,  Thomas  J..  Mrs.  Lydia  Collins,  Mrs. 
Carrie  Pavey,  Mrs.  Lew  ToUe,  Mrs.  Hal  Goodwin  and  Mrs.  R. 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  87 

House.  Then  came  Joel  F.,  for  many  years  County  Clerk,  and 
who  married  Elder  Taylor's  daughter,  and  they  were  the  parents  of 
Doctor  Walter,  Attorney  Albert  and  Howard  Watson.  The  latter 
lived  in  St.  Louis,  and  died  but  recently.  Joel's  second  wife  is 
still  living — a  noble.  Christian  woman,  who  was  Tom  Pace's 
widow.  The  youngest  was  Harry  M.,  who  married  a  Cummins, 
and  left  two  daughters,  both  now  living  in  the  far  West. 

THE  BAUGHS. 

Downing  Baugh  came  early,  acted  well  his  part  as  a  business 
man.  Judge,  Justice  of  the  Peace,  enterprising  and  useful  citizen, 
and  above  all,  as  a  Christian.  Some  years  ago  he  moved  to  Mc- 
Gregor, Iowa,  and  but  recently  died  there  at  a  ripe  old  age  of — 
perhaps  ninety-five.  He  left  his  imprint  on  the  early  history  of 
Mount  Vernon,  and  left  with  us  his  posterity,  of  which  we  are  just- 
ly proud.  His  children  were:  Mrs.  J.  J.  Fly,  who  is  still  with  us, 
at  an  advanced  age,  and  is  the  mother  of  Walter,  Oscar  and  Ad- 
dison Fly,  and  Mrs.  Carrie  Spiese  and  Amy,  at  home;  Mrs.  H.  H. 
Wilkerson,  who  moved  to  Chicago  and  died;  Thomas  J.  (dead)  ; 
John  W.,  our  well  known  express  agent — whose  children  are: 
Frank  and  Nellie;  Joe  V.,  the  present  editor  of  the  Mount  Vernon 
News,  whose  children  are:  Ernest  and  Harry,  and  Mrs.  "Hat' 
Thurston,  living  in  Dakota.  The  writer  well  remembers  being  one 
of  the  charivari  party  who  "serenaded"  Mrs.  Fly  and  Mrs.  Wilker- 
son— both  having  been  married  the  same  night,  over  fifty  years  ago. 
The  Baughs  then  lived  on  what  is  now  Herrin's  corner.  We  were 
sent  over  to  Aunt  Mariah's,  who  kept  gingerbread  and  cider  about 
where  George  Carter  now  lives,  for  the  "treat"  and  it  was  a  good 
one — ^just  such  a  one  as  Aunt  Mariah  (colored)  delighted  to  give. 


88  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

THE  PACES. 

Joel  Pace,  tiring  of  the  carking  cares  of  office,  moved  to  his 
farm  (now  General  Pavey's  home)  and  began  to  raise  his  own 
corn-dodgers.  Flis  twin  brother,  Joseph,  was  doing  the  same  on 
his  farm,  south  of  town.  Both  had  interesting  and  industrious  fam- 
ilies. Uncle  Joel's  children  were:  Charles  T.  (than  whom  Mount 
Vernon  never  had  a  better  citizen)  ;  Dr.  W.  C,  of  Ashley;  Samuel 
F.,  who  died  early;  Edward  C,  who  became  banker,  and  died  at 
Ashley;  Newton  C,  deceased,  who  was  captain  in  the  army,  and 
afterwards,  for  several  years.  Mayor  of  his  native  town;  Addison 
M.,  who  chose  the  great  West  as  his  home;  Mrs.  James  Haynes 
(mother  of  George  M.,  lawyer  and  historian)  ;  and  Mrs.  General 
Pavey,  still  on  the  "old  hill."  Aunt  ParmeHa  went  home  in  1877, 
and  Uncle  Joel  followed  her  in  1879 — having  served  the  town  and 
county  long  and  well.  He  has  been  extensively  noticed  in  pre- 
ceding chapters. 

Uncle  Joseph  Pace  died  near  the  same  time,  full  of  years  and 
honors  that  always  come  to  a  good  man,  who  loves  his  neighbors, 
and  serves  God.  He  was  father  of  Thompson  Pace,  so  well  known 
by  many  yet  living;  also  of  Mrs.  George  and  James  Dillingham; 
Mrs.  Black  Allen  and  Mary.  None  of  the  Paces  have  ever  brought 
reproach  upon  themselves  or  upon  Jefferson  county. 

There  are  many  other  families  that  deserve  special  mention, 
such  as  the  Summers,  the  Andersons,  the  Mills,  the  Shorts,  the 
Grays,  the  Baltzels,  the  Bowmans,  the  Newbys  and  many  others  of 
the  very  early  days,  but  for  the  present  we  must  hasten  on,  and  as 
we  have  already  given  a  brief  account  of  the  first  marriage,  perhaps 
we  had  bfetter  refer  to  the  second  one — or  rather  to  the  three  in 
one;  six  souls  that  beat  as  three,  were  made  happy  just  over  the 
line  of  what  is  now  Shiloh  township.    The  Maxeys  and  Caseys  had 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO..   ILL.  89 

already  "mixed  up"  considerably  and  they  seemed  to  like  it.  Mr. 
Maxey  had  a  house  full  of  pretty  girls,  and  the  Caseys  wanted 
them,  so  it  was  determined  that  on  a  certain  evening  Thomas  M. 
Casey  (afterwards  Uncle  Tommy)  and  Harriet  Maxey,  Abraham 
Casey  and  Vylinda  Maxey,  and  Bennett  N.  Maxey  and  Sally 
Overbay  (who  was  raised  by  the  Maxeys  and  went  by  that  name) 
should  be  made  one — no,  we  mean  three — the  first,  and  perhaps 
the  only  triple  wedding  that  ever  took  place  in  the  county. 

In  the  "good  old  times"  of  which  we  write,  it  was  the  correct 
thing  for  a  man  to  be  the  head  of  a  family,  and  for  a  woman  to  be 
the  queen  of  the  household.  Loving  and  working  together,  without 
impairing  each  other's  personality  or  individuality,  was  the  rule. 
They  seemed  to  realize  that  the  strongest  worldly  love  is  that  of 
husband  and  wife — that  love  that  makes  "two  hearts  beat  as  one" 
— that  love  that  unites  them  not  only  in  acts  of  conjugal  bliss,  but 
in  every  department  of  life  made  them  feel  that  they  were  not 
"unequally  yoked  together."  To  this  usual  mode  of  everyday  life 
we  attribute  much  of  the  "harmony  of  those  days"  when  elope- 
ments and  divorces  were  unheard  of — when  happy  marriages  was 
the  rule  and  not  the  exception. 

The  identical  evening  came,  so  did  everybody,  and  the 
pranks,  jests  and  capers  and  good,  hearty  laughs  that  rang  out  on 
the  night  air,  would  have  shamed  a  modern  charivari  party.  But 
the  triple  ceremony  was  performed,  everything  went  merry  as  a 
half  dozen  marriage  bells,  until  after  the  repast.  Then  it  was  dis- 
covered that  it  was  growing  late — too  late  to  go  home  till  mormng, 
and  the  house,  although  large,  contained  but  one  room — and  what 
should  be  done  with  these  six,  nay,  three,  hearts  that  beat  as  one, 
two,  three.  After  the  old  folks  got  their  heads  together,  it  was  de- 
cided to  erect  beds  for  them  in  the  cook-shed  and  smoke-house.  All 
hands  turned  out  and  with  poles  and    clap-boards,    they   had  soon 


90  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

erected  three  bedsteads,  wonderful  to  behold,  but  sufficiently  sub- 
stantial for  the  occasion,  and  two  of  the  happy  pairs  were  disposed 
of  in  the  smoke-house  and  the  other  in  the  cook-shed.  It  was  an 
event  long  to  be  remembered — in  fact,  the  most  remarkable  event 
of  the  kind  that  has  ever  occurred  in  Jefferson  county.  But  it  was 
pertinent  as  showing  what  the  Caseys  and  Maxeys  could  do  when 
they  "put  their  heads  together,"  after  which  it  was  always  an  easy 
matter  to  get  other  things  going  their  way.  And  the  Casey-Maxey 
combination  was  largely  typical  of  many  other  "old  settlers'*  of 
Jefferson  county. 


CHAPTER  X. 

FIRST  ROADS. 

Hard  to  Get — Better   Roads.  Badly    Needed — Railroads — 
Lots  of  Them. 

Who  turns  his  back  when  the  winds  blow  chill. 
And  wails  "Alack,"  when  his  luck  is  ill, 
May  never  possess  the  pride  of  soul — 
He  earns  who  battles  and  gains  the  goal. 

In  addition  to  what  may  be  termed  the  commercial  aspect  of 
good  roads,  they  have  a  highly  important  social  aspect  as  well. 
They  bring  the  farmer  into  closer  touch  with  the  world  at  large. 
He  and  his  family  are  not  forced  to  remain  at  home  for  days  at  a 
time  because  the  condition  of  the  roads  make  traveling  unpleasant, 
if  not  difficult.  Good  roads  insure  efficient  and  prompt  rural  mail 
deliveries,  placing  the  newspapers  on  the  table  of  the  farmer  early 
on  the  day  of  publication,  enabling  him  to  transact  much  of  his 
business  by  mail  and  to  take  advantage  of  early  information  as  to 
fluctuations  in  the  prices  of  his  farm  products.  Good  roads  mean 
that  the  farmer  and  the  members  of  his  family  can  enjoy  to  a 
greater  degree  the  society  of  their  neighbors  and  friends  in  the  town 
and  country.  They  mean  that  his  children  can  be  more  regular  in 
school  attendance,  and  can  receive  to  a  greater  degree  the  ad- 
vantages of  education.  They  mean  the  bringing  closer  together  of 
the  town  and  country,  with  advantages  on  both  sides,  for  as  the 


92  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

farmer  is  benefited  by  being  brought  into  closer  touch  with  the 
town,  so  all  the  business  interests  of  the  town  prosper  as  the  result 
of  the  facility  with  which  the  farmer  and  his  family  can  do  their 
shopping.  Good  roads  also  benefit  the  inhabitants  of  towns  and 
cities  by  affording  facilities  for  pleasant  country  drives.  They  in- 
vite the  business  man  to  the  establishment  of  country  and  suburban 
homes,  such  as  he  can  enjoy  only  when  he  is  assured  that  the  con- 
dition of  the  roads  will  be  such  as  to  enable  him  to  reach  his  place 
of  business  promptly  in  all  kinds  of  weather. 

Everybody  knows  that  good  roads  are  good  things,  and  that 
nothing  is  more  conducive  to  good  business  than  good  roads. 
Among  the  improvements  of  any  country,  nothing  is  more  important 
than  its  roads  or  highways.  Civilization  is  judged  by  its  roads.  In 
this  chapter  we  will  speak  of  our  roads  and  railroads,  taking  them 
as  they  came  in.  When  Mount  Vernon  was  first  laid  off  it  had  no 
roads — not  even  by-paths,  and  the  pioneers  had  their  cabins,  their 
clearings,  the  public  buildings  and  the  public  roads  all  to  make. 
First,  as  to  wagon  roads,  for  it  was  many  years  before  railroads 
were  even  dreamed  of.     First,  we  allude  to  the 

SALINE  AND  WALNUT-HILL  ROAD. 

At  the  beginning  the  Goshen  road  was  the  only  one  running 
into  or  through  the  county,  and  it  crossed  what  is  now  the  Fairfield 
road,  four  miles  east  of  the  site  of  Mount  Vernon.  The  County 
Commissioners  made  several  efforts  to  get  a  road  viewed  and  laid 
out  before  they  succeeded.  Several  times  committees  were  ap- 
pointed to  view  and  lay  out  certain  roads,  but  time  passed  and  no 
road.  Finally,  James  Abbott,  William  Jordan  and  Reuben  Jack- 
son reported  that  they  had  viewed  and  selected  a  line  for  a  road 
running  through  Mount  Vernon,  beginning  at  or  near  the  southeast 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  93 

corner  of  the  county  and  up  through  Jordan's  Prairie,  on  the  north. 
The  report  was  accepted  and  the  road  ordered,  eighteen  feet  wide. 
Uncle  Joseph  Pace  was  the  surveyor,  G.  P.  and  A.  P.  Casey, 
chain  carriers.  Jordan  and  Abbott  had  a  bottle  of  whiskey.  After 
drinking,  they  offered  it  to  Uncle  Joe  Pace ;  he  took  the  bottle  and 
emptied  its  contents  on  the  ground.  The  road  was  opened  and  most 
of  it  is  used  to  this  day.  The  bridge  across  Casey's  Fork  of  Muddy 
was  the  only  one  to  be  built,  and  Ben  Hood  and  Canton  Wilkey 
built  it  for  forty-four  dollars  and  fifteen  cents.  The  Vandalia  road 
was  the  next  opened,  but  it  took  a  long  time  to  make  people  believe 
it  was  a  permanent  highway.     The 

RICHVIEW  ROAD 

came  next,  which  accommodated  the  Grand  Prairie  people  in  get- 
ting to  town.  With  a  few  changes  the  same  is  the  Richview  road  of 
today.     Next  the 

NASHVILLE  ROAD  i 

ordered  to  cross  the  Middle  Fork  of  Muddy,  near  Shiloh  meeting 
house  and  the  West  Fork,  at  or  near  Hamblin's.     Then  came  the 

FAIRFIELD   ROAD 

bossed  by  John  Summers,  who  had  located  over  the  creek,  and  be- 
gan business  with  his  mill,  on  the  D.  H.  Warren  place.  In  the  main 
what  was  then  made  the  aforesaid  road  is  the  Fairfield  road  of  to- 
day.    Then  came  the 

BROWNSVILLE  OR  PINCKNEYVILLE  ROAD. 

Several  routes  were  viewed  and  selected  and  some  of  them  even 
adopted,  but  really  no  road  until   1837,  when  the  Pinckneyville 


94  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

road  was  made  and  located,  mostly  where  the  same  road  now  runs, 
except  as  to  various  wmdings. 

In  alluding  to  these  roads  we  have  not  attempted  to  give  de- 
tails, but  simply  referred  to  results,  the  very  thing  sought  by  the 
pioneers  and  the  one  thing  needed — open  roads.  After  these  diffi- 
cult— that  is,  difficult  to  secure  and  difficult  to  follow, 
highways  were  duly  opened,  other  roads  "too  numerous  to 
mention"  became  the  order  of  the  day  throughout  the  county. 
Among  them  was  a  road  across  the  southwest  corner  of  the  county — 
the  Nashville  and  Equality  road.  Another  from  Salem  to  Chester 
across  the  northwest  part  of  the  county.  In  1 839  a  new  state  road 
from  McLeansboro  to  Mount  Vernon  was  located.  Later  a  road 
was  laid  out  from  the  academy  to  Short's  Mill  on  the  creek  and 
thence  east  into  the  wilderness;  the  Richview  and  Farrmgton  road 
crossing  the  Salem  road  near  Pleasant  Grove ;  the  Frog  Island  road ; 
the  Ashley  and  Spring  Garden ;  one  from  Rome  to  the  Carlyle  road ; 
the  Mount  Vernon  and  Lynchburg  road;  the  Spring  Garden  and 
Tamaroa  road;  one  from  Lynchburg  to  Ham's  Grove  and  many 
others — so  many  in  fact,  that  strangers  are  always  in  doubt  which 
road  to  take.  Many  of  them,  like  a  snake,  wriggle  in  and  wriggle 
out,  leaving  the  traveler  still  in  doubt  whether  the  snake  that  made 
the  tract  is  going  north  or  coming  back.  No  attention  was  paid  to 
section  or  township  lines  in  the  laying  out  of  these  roads  and  much 
valuable  land  has  been  impaired  by  their  various  windings.  Of  course 
the  personal  interests  of  the  "viewers"  and  others  cut  coniderable  ice 
in  the  formation  and  subsequent  preambulation  of  these  roads.  And 
we  may  truthfully  say  that  under  township  organization,  we  have 
very  expensive  roads  and  very  few  really  good  ones — especially  in 
winter,  when  good  roads  are  needed.  Unfortunately  we  have  noth- 
ing to  make  roads  of — except  dust  or  mud.  But  the  time  is  com- 
ing when  we  will  import  the  material  and  malie  good  roads. 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  95 

OUR  RAILROADS. 

When  our  pioneers  were  viewing  and  laying  off  the  wagon 
roads  alluded  to  above,  they  had  never  dreamed  of  having  a  rail- 
road into  or  through  Jefferson  county.  But  about  1836  and  from 
that  on,  they  began  to  dream  and  dream  until  the  railroad  fever  fully 
set  in.  In  that  year  the  Illinois  Central  road  was  chartered  and  our 
people  wanted  it  but  only  got  about  four  hundred  yards  of  it  across 
the  northwestern  corner  of  the  county — although  in  1 852  when  the 
road  was  really  built,  the  surveyors  ran  a  survey  through  Mount 
Vernon  in  charge  of  B.  G.  Roots,  and  made  us  think  we  already 
heard  the  toot,  toot  of  the  iron-horse.  Of  course  a  great  mistake 
was  made  by  not  locating  the  road  through  Mount  Vernon  and 
Jefferson  county.  The  Legislature  had  a  crazy  fit  in  the  session 
of  1836-7-8  and  attempted  to  cover  the  whole  state  with  railroads 
at  once — one  from  Cairo  to  Galena,  one  from  Shawneetown  to 
Alton — and  several  in  the  central  and  northern  part  of  the  state — 
in  all  about  fifteen  hundred  miles.  The  result  was  a  debt  of  fourteen 
million  dollars,  and  a  "jerkwater"  road  from  Springfield  to  the  Illi- 
nois river  on  the  west — about  a  hundred  miles,  worth  perhaps  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars.  By  the  efforts  of  Noah  Johnston  in  the 
Senate  and  H.  T.  Pace  in  the  House  an  act  was  passed  which  gave 
us  an  interest  in  two  hundred  thousand  dollars  that  was  appropriated 
to  counties  that  failed  to  get  any  railroads.  But  we  missed  the 
railroad,  and  missed  getting  the  money — except  one  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  secured  by  the  persistent  efforts  of  H.  T.  Pace — part 
of  what  we  were  entitled  to  from  the  sale  of  the  "Saline  lands." 
Then  railroad  excitement  died  out  until  1851-2,  when  the  Illinois 
Central  was  again  chartered,  and  the  work  actually  begun.  Then 
the  fever  broke  out  again.  The  Sangamon  &  Massac  road  was 
chartered,  Jefferson  county  being  represented  in  the  company  by  J. 


96  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

M.  Johnson,  Z.  Casey,  T.  M.  Casey  and  H.  T.  Pace,  but  there 
the  thing  stopped.  Another  was  the  "Mount  Vernon  Railroad  Com- 
pany" with  Z.  Casey,  H.  T.  Pace,  S.  H.  Anderson,  Q.  A.  Wil- 
banks,  J.  R.  Allen,  S.  K.  Allen,  S.  W.  Carpenter  and  B.  F.  Wood, 
as  charter  members — to  build  a  road  from  Mount  Vernon,  tapping 
the  Central  at  some  point  to  be  determined — it  didn't  tap. 

The  following  document  will  show  that  Mount  Vernon's  prom- 
inent citizens  were  in  earnest  in  trying  to  secure  a  railroad : 

We,  the  undersigned  citizens  of  the  county  of  Jefferson  and 
state  of  Illinois,  in  consideration  that  any  person  or  association  of 
persons,  organized  or  incorporated  under  and  by  virtue  of  any  act  of 
the  Legislature  of  the  state  of  Illinois  now  in  force,  or  under  and  by 
virtue  of  any  act  of  the  Legislature  aforesaid  which  may  hereafter 
be  enacted,  will  and  shall  build,  construct  and  equip  a  railroad  from 
the  town  of  Ashley,  in  Washington  county  and  state  of  Illinois, 
the  town  of  Mt.  Vernon,  in  Jefferson  county  and  state  of  Illinois, 
either  as  a  separate  and  distinct  road  or  forming  a  portion  of  a 
through  road  running  to  the  town  of  Fairfield  in  Wayne  county,  Illi- 
nois, or  to  any  other  point  east  of  Fairfield,  within  a  reasonable 
time  from  this  date,  do  hereby  agree,  undertake  and  bind  ourselves 
and  each  of  us  to  grant  and  convey  by  good  and  sufficient  deed  or 
deeds  of  conveyance  in  law  and  equity  the  quantity  and  description 
of  lands  situated  in  said  county  of  Jefferson  and  annexed  to  and  set 
opposite  our  names  to  any  such  person,  or  association  of  persons 
organized  and  incorporated  as  aforesaid,  so  soon  as  such  person, 
or  association  of  persons,  incorporated  and  organized  as  aforesaid, 
shall  give  securities  or  guarantees  sufficient  to  satisfy  any  number  of 
persons  not  exceeding  five  whom  we,  or  such  portion  of  us  shall  in 
any  public  meeting  at  the  court-house,  in  Mt.  Vernon,  called  for 
the  purpose  upon  ten  days'  notice,  designate  and  appoint,  that  said 
railroad  will  be  constructed  and  equipped  within  a  reasonable  time, 
as  aforesaid,  from  this  date. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  97 

Mt.  Vernon,  Illinois,  April   10,   1858. 
SUBSCRIBERS.  NO.   ACRES. 

W.  B.  Thorn 80 

H.   B.   Newby 80 

W.  D.  Green 80 

H.  T.  Pace 80 

T.  B.  Tanner 80 

Thomas  L.  Moss 40 

Charles    Mason 10 

A.   P.  Elkins 40 

John   Waite 40 

C.   M.   Daily 40 

W.  H.  Herdman 40 

J.  Q.  A.   Bay 20 

J.  M.   Pace 80 

S.   T.   Brown 10 

C.  Johnson 40 

E.  V.  Satterfield 20 

J.  F.  Watson 40 

Joel   Pace 80 

Abraham  Marlow  authorizes  W.  D.  G.  to  subcribe 20 

James  B.   Tolle 80 

D.  G.   Anderson 80 

Dan  Baltzell 80 

D.  C.  Warren 80 

Dr.  G.  authorized  to  subcribe  for  Willoughby  Adams 40 

In  1850  Congress  gave  Illinois  the  swamp  lands  within  her 
borders  for  educational  and  internal  improvements,  and  the  state 
in  turn  gave  each  county  the  same  lands  within  its  borders  for  the 
purposes  named.  Jefferson  county's  share  was  about  nineteen  thou- 
sand acres  and  at  an  election  held  in  1855  the  proposition  to  do- 

7 


98  •        wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,  ILL. 

nate  these  lands  to  the  construction  of  a  railroad  carried.  Proposi- 
tions were  made  by  foreigners  to  build  the  road,  but  not  accepted. 
Then  Governor  Casey  founded  a  company  under  the  name  and 
style  of  Van  Duzer,  Smith  &  Co.  and  to  this  company  the  work  was 
awarded,  signed  by  Z.  Casey,  and  A.  M.  Grant  as  president  and 
secretary  of  the  old  company.  Subscriptions  were  opened  at  An- 
derson &  Mills'  store  and  forty  thousand  dollars  soon  subcribed 
and  partly  paid  in.  The  work  began  to  boom.  The  track  was  cleared 
from  Ashley  to  Mount  Vernon  and  the  road-bed  partly  finished. 
Van  Duzer,  Smith  &  Co.  were  everybody's  pets ;  they  went  in  debt 
to  everybody.  Ties  were  piled  along  the  line;  they  got  money 
from  Shackelford  &  Givens  and  had  our  trustee  give  them  a  deed 
for  four  thousand  acres  of  the  swamp  lands;  Dr.  Green  and  others 
found  themselves  grantors  for  them  to  the  tune  of  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars. One  of  them  had  married  one  of  our  handsomest  ladies;  Van 
Duzen  took  five  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  bonds  to  New  York 
to  sell  and  it  is  said  his  report  is  not  yet  in.  Work  began  to  drag — 
slower  every  day;  and  then — the  work  ceased — and  the  whole  en- 
terprise was  a  dismal  failure.  The  grantors  attached  what  little 
was  left — virtually  nothing ;  Smith  went  back  to  New  York  and  his 
wife  was  reported  rich,  but  he  owned  nothing;  Van  Duzer  went 
to  Michigan  and  later  to  the  penitentiary  and  Goetschins  died  in 
Paducah,  Kentucky.  The  company  forfeited  everything.  The 
old  company  recovered  the  franchise  and  the  road-bed  was  sold  at 
Springfield  and  bought  in  for  the  company  through  Thomas  Hobbs 
for  a  mere  pittance.  To  recover  contingencies,  a  new  charter  was 
formed  for  the  Ashley  &  Mount  Vernon  Railroad  by  Z.  Casey,  H. 
T.  Pace,  J.  R.  Allen,  W.  D.  Green,  T.  B.  Tarmer,  C.  T.  Pace 
and  Noah  Johnson.  Then  came  others  who  wanted  to  build  the 
road,  or  rather  wanted  the  lands,  and  after  much  maneuvering  and 
scheming  and  so  forth  and  so  on,  bonds  for  one  hundred  thousand 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  99 

dollars  was  voted  by  the  people  of  the  county  for  the  building  of 
the  road  through  the  county.  After  many  efforts  and  many  propo- 
sitions had  failed,  a  new  company  got  a  charter  for  a  railroad  from 
St.  Louis  to  Shawneetown  and  took  the  name  of  the  St.  Louis  & 
Southeastern  Railroad  Co.  This  company  was  composed  of  Orvil 
Pool,  James  H.  Wilson,  J.  J.  Castles,  S.  K.  Casey,  W.  D.  Green, 
T.  H.  Hobbs  and  E.  F.  Winslow — all  old  residents,  except  Gen- 
eral Wilson,  who  was  General  Grant's  chief  of  staff  during  war,  and 
General  Winslow,  who  built  the  Brough  road  by  the  Vandalia, 
sold  out  for  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  and  became  a  railroad 
man.  And  the  contract  was  finally  let  to  Winslow  &  Wilson,  prin- 
cipally through  Dr.  Green,  who  had  definitely  learned  that  it  was 
the  best  way  to  subserve  Mount  Vernon's  interests.  After  all  the 
efforts  and  many  besides.  Mount  Vernon's  first  railroad,  the  St. 
Louis  &  Southeastern  (now  Louisville  &  Nashville  Railroad)  was 
completed  in  1869-70,  using  the  original  road-bed  from  Mount 
Vernon  to  Ashley,  made  in  1858  by  Van  Duzer,  Smith  &  Co.,  and 
instead  of  obtaining  a  "bob-tailed"  road  as  the  projectors  were  often 
twitted  with,  we  secured  what  later  proved  to  be  one  of  the  best 
trunk  lines  running  from  the  Southeast  to  the  great  Northwest. 
Mount  Vernon  also  secured  extensive  and  valuable  car  shops  that 
largely  increased  our  population  and  wealth.  These  shops  were  un- 
fortunately burned  down  in  1878,  but  speedily  rebuilt.  Later, 
the  work  was  removed  to  Howell,  Indiana,  and  the  buildings  were 
leased  to  the  Mount  Vernon  Car  Manufacturing  Company  (of 
which,  more  hereater).  The  boom  that  struck  Mount  Vernon  with 
the  coming  of  the  first  railroad  has  had  a  few  lulls,  but  has  never 
ceased,  and  now  that  it  is  one  of  the  best  railroad  centers  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  state,  its  destiny  is  intimately  linked  with  future 
prosperity.  And  for  this  we  should  not  forget  that  we  are  largely 
indebted  to  the  public-spirited  gentlemen  of  our  county  named  in 
connection  with  the  securing  of  this  first  road. 


100  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

Prior  to  this  time  a  Marion  and  Jefferson  county  railroad  was 
chartered ;  also  the  Shawneetown  branch  of  the  Illinois  Central,  both 
to  run  through  Mount  Vernon,  and  still  others,  but — "nothing  do- 
ing," or  nothing  done  with  these  roads. 

THE  AIR  LINE — NOW  SOUTHERN. 

A  road  was  undertaken  from  Alton  to  Mount  Carmel,  money 
borrowed  and  the  road  begun  by  Gen.  William  Pickering.  He 
spent  all  the  money  he  could  get  and  all  he  had  himself  and  made 
the  road-bed  from  Princeton,  Indiana,  to  Albion,  Illinois,  then 
failed,  but  retained  the  ownership  of  the  franchise  and  road-bed, 
which  he  sold  to  Bluford  Wilson  and  others — his  heirs  getting  four- 
teen thousand  dollars  only  for  it.  The  purchasers,  after 
dickering  around  for  a  long  time,  got  matters  in  shape  to  continue 
work  on  the  road — finally  changing  its  name  to  the  Louisville  &  St. 
Louis  Railroad  Company,  and  adding  several  branches.  It  reached 
Mount  Vernon  in  1883.  For  a  year  or  two  its  western  terminus 
was  Mount  Vernon,  running  its  trains  to  St.  Louis  over  the  Louis- 
ville &  Nashville,  but  it  was  finally  built  to  St.  Louis,  via  Rome  and 
Centralia,  and  after  achieving  success,  was  transferred  to  the  sys- 
tem of  the  Great  Southern  road — this  giving  us  another  trunk  line 
east  and  west  and  adding  still  more  to  our  population  and  wealth. 
The  Southern  has  become  a  very  popular  road  and  that  without 
costing  Jefferson  county  many  thousands  of  dollars,  as  the  first  road 
did.     Jefferson  county  paid  good  and  well  for  its  first  road. 

THE  JACKSONVILLE  &  SOUTHEASTERN, 

principally  through  the  persistent  efforts  of  Judge  James  R.  Driver, 
was  built  to  the  town  of  Drivers,  four  miles  west  of  Mount  Vernon 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  101 

on  the  Louisville  &  Nashville  (sending  its  trains  here  over  that 
line),  was  operated  a  few  years  and  sold  to  the  Chicago,  Burlington 
&  Quincy,  and  now  runs  south  through  the  county,  crossing  the 
Louisville  &  Nashville  at  Woodlawn,  passing  through  Woodlawn, 
Cravat,  Waltonville  and  Emerson  City. 

THE  CHESTER  &   TAMAROA. 

road  was  extended  to  Mount  Vernon  in  the  eighties  and  is  another 
valuable  link  of  road — especially,  locally.  It  is  destined  to  be  con- 
tinued to  Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  and  become  part  of  another  trunk 
line  system.  It  is  doing  a  fine  local  business,  and  is  chiefly  under 
the  management  of  C.  B.  Cole,  of  Chester. 

THE  CHICAGO,  EASTERN  ILLINOIS 

Railroad  Company  built  into  Mount  Vernon  a  few  years  ago,  and 
this  link  formed  part  of  another  trunk  line,  the  Frisco  system,  which 
runs  all  over  the  West  and  South.  This  gives  us  a  direct  line  to 
Chicago,  as  good  as  the  one  we  ought  to  have  had  years  before.  It 
runs  to  the  Ohio  river  and  crosses  the  Mississippi  river  at  Thebes  and 
takes  in  the  entire  Southwest.  It  is  a  fine  road  and  cost  the  county 
nothing. 

So  it  will  be  seen  that  Mount  Vernon  and  Jefferson  county  are 
"fixed"  so  far  as  railroads  are  concerned — making  the  county  seat 
one  of  the  most  desirable  railroad  centers  in  all  the  region  round 
about.  Certainly  our  "internal  improvements"  are  keeping  pace 
with  those  of  other  inland  counties  of  the  great  Prairie  state. 

In  conclusion  we  may  say  that  we  have  in  Jefferson  county 
about  four  hundred  and  fifty  miles  of  railroad  track  (including  the 
sidings  at  the  different  towns),  fifteen  depot  buildings  and  other 


102  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

valuable  railroad  property,  upon  which  the  county  derives  a  good 
revenue.  We  have  facilities  for  traveling  in  every  direction,  two 
or  three  times  every  day,  and  instead  of  driving  our  hogs  and  geese 
to  Shawneetown  or  St.  Louis,  while  we  hauled  our  chickens  and 
eggs  and  hides,  as  we  used  to,  we  have  a  home  market  for  them  at 
good  prices,  and  what  we  want  from  the  cities  can  be  laid  at  our 
doors  on  twenty-four  hours'  notice.  Where  it  used  to  take  us  a  full 
week  to  go  to  St.  Louis  and  do  our  little  trading,  we  can  now  go  in 
the  morning,  do  a  days'  business  and  be  home  by  bed-time.  What 
would  the  first  settlers  of  Mount  Vernon  have  thought  of  the  vision- 
ary who  had  the  spirit  of  optimism  so  deeply  implanted  in  him  as  to 
prophesy  that  all  this  would  come  to  pass  within  the  natural  life- 
time of  one  man?  It  teaches  us  that  instead  of  adopting  the  pessi- 
mistic wail  of 

"The  world's  a  hollow  bubble,  don't  you  know? 
Just  a  painted  piece  of  trouble,  don't  you  know?" 
we  should  mount  the  higher  plane  of  optimism,  and  proclaim  from 
the  hill-tops 

"The  chap  who  humps  and  never  stops 

To  register  complaints. 
May  lack  the  wisdom  of  the  wise. 

The  perfectness  of  saints; 
And  what  is  more,  mayn't  know  what  'tis 

To  bear  a  famous  name. 
But,  spite  o'  what  the  neighbors  say. 
He  gets  there  just  the  same. 


LIBRARY 
Of  THE 


COURT  HOUSE,  MOUNT  VERNON. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

JEFFERSON   COUNTY   COURTS. 

Supreme  and  Appellate  Courts.  The  Bar,  etc.  The  Sacred- 
ness  of  the  Law. 

"Oh  make  Thou  us,  through  centuries  long, 
In  peace  secure,  in  justice  strong; 
Around  our  gift  of  freedom  draw 
The  safeguards  of  Thy  righteous  law; 
And  cast  in  some  diviner  mold, 
Let  the  new  cycle  shame  the  old!" 

In  these  days  of  light  thinking  and  still  lighter  talking  about 
the  law  and  the  courts,  it  is  well  to  get  back  towards  the  old  land- 
marks and  understand  that  the  perpetuation  of  our  liberties  depend 
largely  upon  an  honest  and  intelligent  bar.  It  is  by  the  courts  that 
criminals  are  apprehended  and  punished;  it  is  through  these  courts 
that  wrongs  are  redressed,  and  the  innocent  given  their  liberty.  Com- 
ing nearer  home,  we  can  truly  say  that  Mount  Vernon  may  well  be 
termed  the  seat  of  justice— the  home  of  Judges.  In  1848,  the 
Supreme  Court  was  located  here,  and  the  state  has  spent  consider- 
able money  in  buildings  and  equipments,  and  today  Mount  Vernon 
has  a  fine  state  court-house  and  contains  one  of  the  best  law-li- 
braries in  the  state.  The  first  term  of  the  Supreme  Court  was  held 
here  in  1848,  with  S.  H.  Treat,  Chief  Justice,  and  J.  D.  Caton  and 
Lyman  Trumbull,  Associates;  Finney  D.  Preston,  Clerk.     In  1854 


104  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

Preston  resigned  the  clerkship  and  Noah  Johnson  was  appointed. 
In  1855  Treat  resigned,  and  O.  C.  Skinner  elected  to  the  vacancy, 
but  Scates  was  made  Chief  Justice,  but  in  1857  Caton  came  in  as 
Chief  Justice  and  Sidney  Breeze  was  elected  in  Scates'  place.  In 
1870  the  new  constitution  increased  the  number  of  judges  from 
three  to  seven,  making  seven  districts  instead  of  three.  In  1878 
Breeze  died,  and  D.  F.  Baker  succeeded  him,  and  J.  H.  Mulkey 
succeeded  Baker.  In  1867  R.  A.  D.  Wilbanks  (Bob)  was  elected 
Clerk;  in  1878  J.  O.  Chance  succeeded  him.  Until  the  court-house 
was  ready  for  use,  the  court  held  its  sessions  in  the  basement  of  the 
Odd  Fellows  old  hall,  and  in  the  Masonic  hall,  over  J.  Pace  & 
Son.  T.  B.  Tanner,  Major  Johnston,  Z.  Casey,  W.  J.  Stephenson 
and  J.  N.  Johnson  were  selected  to  superintend  the  building  of  the 
Supreme  Court  House,  and  Tanner,  who  had  been  sent  to  Legis- 
lature, obtained  ten  thousand  dollars  and  the  building  was  finished 
and  is  a  credit  to  the  state. 

Among  the  men  who  occupied  the  bench  of  this  court,  perhaps 
there  was  none  better  equipped  for  the  place  than  our  Carlyle 
neighbor.  Judge  Sidney  Breeze.  He  had  served  as  State's  Attorney, 
Attorney  for  Illinois  under  President  Adams,  and  had  been  a 
member  of  the  United  States  Senate,  in  all  of  which  positions  he 
proved  himself  competent.  Many  good  things  might  be  said  of  him, 
truthfully,  but  his  record  is  in  the  hands  of  the  people. 

WALTER  B.  SCATES, 

one  of  our  own  legal  jewels,  needs  but  a  brief  notice  at  our  hands. 
Although  "brought  up  in  the  woods",  he  was  a  man  of  excellent 
repute,  a  useful  citizen  of  Mount  Vernon,  a  superior  judge  of  law 
and  a  pure  citizen  without  guile.  He  ranked  among  the  best  and 
most  honorable  judges  of  the  state,  and  was  withal  a  Christian  gen- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  105 

tleman  of  the  old  school.  After  leaving  Mount  Vernon,  he  located 
in  Chicago  and  held  positions  of  honor  and  trust  there.  When 
Lyman  Trumbull  was  elected  to  the  United  States  Senate,  Judge 
Scates  succeeded  him  on  the  Supreme  Bench. 

Baker,  Mulkey,  Breeze,  Scates,  Koerner,  and  all  who  came 
to  the  Supreme  Bench  from  our  part  of  the  state,  proved  themselves 
the  peers  of  the  best  talent  from  the  northern  part  of  the  state,  as 
well  as  from  other  states. 

The  new  Constitution  provided  for  the  creation  of  Appellate 
Courts  after  1874  in  districts  made  for  that  purpose,  to  which  ap- 
peals from  the  Circuit  Courts  could  be  taken.  Such  Courts  to  be 
held  by  Judges  of  the  Circuit  Courts,  as  provided  by  law.  Under 
this  provision  this  was  made  the  Fourth  District,  with  three  Judges. 
On  the  organzation  of  the  court  for  this  the  Fourth  District  with 
headquarters  at  Mount  Vernon,  T.  B.  Tanner,  J.  C.  Allen  and 
George  W.  Wall  were  assigned  by  the  Supreme  Court  to  Appellate 
duty.  Judge  Tanner  became  presiding  Judge  and  Wilbanks,  Clerk, 
by  virtue  of  his  Supreme  Court  clerkship.  In  1879  Judges  Wall, 
Baker  and  F.  S.  Casey  came  to  the  Appellate  Bench.  This  court 
greatly  relieved  the  Supreme  Court,  where  much  business  had  ac- 
cumulated. 

TAZEWELL  B.  TANNER. 

No  member  of  our  Jefferson  county  bar  ever  became  so  thor- 
oughly identified  with  every  material  interest  of  the  town  and  county 
as  did  T.  B.  Tanner.  He  came  to  this  county  in  1846  and  took 
charge  of  the  public  schools  and  afterward  assumed  the  editorship 
of  the  Jeffersonian,  the  only  paper  published  here.  In  1849  he  was 
siezed  with  the  gold  fever  and  went  to  California,  but  returned  the 
next  year  and  was  elected  Circuit  Clerk,  served  two  years,  resigned 
to  give  place  to  John  S.  Bogan.     He  then  entered  the  practice  of 


106  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

law  with  T.  S.  Casey,  and  in  1854  was  elected  to  the  Legislature 
and  secured  favors  for  Mount  Vernon  in  aid  of  the  building  of  the 
Supreme  Court  House.  In  1862  he  was  elected  to  the  Constitu- 
tional Convention.  In  1867  he  was  a  candidate  for  Judge,  but 
James  M.  Pollock,  another  Mount  Vernon  Judge,  was  elected. 
Four  years  later  he  was  elected  over  Pollock  and  Colonel  Crebs,  of 
Carmi.  At  the  expiration  of  his  term  he  took  up  the  practice  of 
law,  and  held  his  own  against  all  comers.  He  was  a  profound 
lawyer  and  kept  up  with  all  the  decisions.  To  his  clients  he  was 
honest  and  just,  and  if  his  patron  did  not  have  a  good  case  he  would 
frankly  tell  him  so.  He  married  Governor  Stinson  Anderson's 
daughter,  Sarah,  who  is  still  living  among  us.  On  the  bench  he  was 
diligent  and  painstaking,  sifting  every  case  and  bringing  to  the  front 
all  the  equities.  Of  unimpeachable  integrity,  a  better  and  purer  man 
never  sat  in  judgment.  Tanner  still  lives  in  the  hearts  of  our  Jef- 
fersonians. 

JUDGE  T.  S.  CASEY 

was  another  Jefferson  county  product — a  son  of  Governor  Casey. 
He  was  educated  at  McKendree  College,  and  after  securing  the 
degree  of  Master  of  Arts,  studied  law  with  Hugh  Montgomery, 
and  in  1854  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  Elected  State's  Attorney 
in  1860  and  re-elected  in  1864.  In  1862  he  entered  the  United 
States  army  as  colonel  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Tenth  Illinois 
Volunteer  Infantry.  He  participated  in  the  battles  of  Perryville, 
Stone  River  and  several  minor  conflicts.  On  his  return  home  he  re- 
sumed his  professional  labors,  discharging  the  duties  of  Prosecuting 
Attorney  until  1868.  In  1870  he  was  elected  to  the  Legislature 
and  in  1 872  to  the  State  Senate,  where  his  noted  father  had  served 
years  before.  In  1879  he  was  elected  Circuit  Judge  and  assigned 
to  duty  on  the  Appellate  Bench.     In  politics  he  was  always  a  hard- 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  107 

shell  Democrat.  He  married  Miss  Matilda  Moran,  of  Springfield, 
and  died  in  1 890. 

JUDGE  EDWIN  BEECHER 

settled  in  Fairfield  in  1 844,  and  was  a  few  years  later  made  Judge 
of  this  Circuit  for  six  years.  We  believe  the  old  Judge  is  still  liv- 
ing in  Fairfield — totally  blind.  Circuit  Court  commenced  in  this 
county  in  1819,  with  Judge  Wilson  presiding  and  has  been  in 
business  ever  since.  It  is  impossible  as  well  as  undesirable,  to  fol- 
low up  the  succession.  Suffice  it  to  say,  we  have  had  many  learned 
judges  and  many  important  cases  since  then.  In  1 838  we  find  that 
Downing  Baugh  was  indicted  for  peddling  clocks  without  a  license, 
but  he  was  not  convicted  and  the  very  next  year  was  elected  Circuit 
Judge.  In  1841  an  indictment  for  murder  was  returned  against 
Rolin  Bradley  for  the  murder  of  Elijah  King  in  Elk  Prairie.  He 
was  pronounced  guilty  and  sentenced  to  he  hanged.  A  gallows  was 
erected  on  the  road,  somewhere  this  side  of  Newby's  and  stood 
there  for  many  years.  We  well  remember  how  we  boys  used  to 
"shy  around"  it  when  we  had  been  out  "plugging"  watermelons. 
Bluford  Hayes  took  a  petition  to  Springfield  for  reprieve  and  got 
back  with  the  papers  just  in  time  to  disappoint  one  of  the  largest 
crowds  that  had  ever  assembled  in  the  county.  Bluford  wqs  there- 
after very  unpopular  because  he  had  interfered  with  the  exhibition 
and  many  believed  as  long  as  they  lived  that  the  jury  was  right  when 
they  said  "hang."  The  jury  consisted  of  Coly  Smith,  W.  M.  Ful- 
ler, John  H.  Watson,  S.  B.  Shelton,  B.  McConnell,  Jesse  Phillips, 
Downing  Baugh,  John  Holt,  D.  McLaughlin,  Joel  Smith,  Ed 
Owens  and  W.  Gibberson. 

Judge  Scates  was  on  the  bench  from  1837  to  1840,  then  Judge 
Denning  to  1846 — when  Judge  Baugh  came  in.  Marshall  came 
back  from  Congress  and  presided  till  1 865  and  then  Judge  Pollock 


108  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,  ILL. 

came  and  was  succeeded  by  Judge  Tanner,  and  then  Casey.  Since 
then  we  have  had  as  Circuit  Judges:  Allen,  Creighton,  Pierce, 
Newlin  and  other  residents  of  other  counties — all  good  Judges, 
however. 

WILLIAM  H.  GREEN,  SR., 

was  another  member  of  the  bar  of  this  county  whose  light  was  not 
to  be  hid.  He  came  with  his  father's  family  to  Mount  Vernon  in 
1846.  He  was  the  son  of  Dr.  Duff  Green,  Sr.,  whose  ashes  sleep 
in  Old  Union  cemetery,  and  a  brother  of  Dr.  W.  Duff  Green,  who 
was  for  so  many  years  prominent  in  Mount  Vernon's  history.  After 
teaching  school,  he  read  law  with  Judge  Scates  and  was  made 
a  lawyer  in  1 852.  He  moved  to  Metropolis,  then  to  Cairo,  and  be- 
came prominent  both  in  the  law  and  in  politics.  He  died  about  a 
dozen  years  ago,  at  his  home  in  Cairo. 

LEWIS  F.   CASEY 

was  another  Jefferson  county  boy  struggling  up  to  manhood.  He 
read  law  with  R.  F.  Wingate,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1 845  ; 
went  to  the  Legislature  in  1846  and  voted  for  S.  A.  Douglas  for 
Senator.  For  two  years  he  was  a  law  partner  of  Judge  Breeze.  In 
1852  he  moved  to  Texas  and  was  elected  Prosecuting  Attorney 
and  made  financial  agent  of  the  state.  In  1861  he  was  sent  to  the 
Texas  Senate,  the  one  that  passed  the  ordinance  of  secession ;  voted 
for  Wigfall  for  Senator  of  the  Confederate  states,  and  of  course  for 
Jeff  Davis  for  President  of  the  same.  He  returned  to  Illinois  in 
1 866  and  located  at  Centralia  for  the  practice  of  law.  He  and  Cap- 
tain S.  L.  Dwight  had  an  extensive  practice,  until  he  died  and  Cap- 
tain Dwight  was  elevated  to  the  Circuit  Bench.  He  was  a  son  of 
Green  P.,  a  nephew  and  son-in-law  of  Governor  Zadok  Casey. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  109 

RICHARD  S.  NELSON 

was  another  Mount  Vernon  lawyer  for  many  years,  and  all  ad- 
mitted that  he  was  a  good  one.  He  also  held  forth  at  Shawneetown, 
Old  Frankfort  and  Metropolis.  While  at  this  place  last  he  had  some 
experience — more  than  he  wanted.  He  arrayed  himself  with  the 
law-and-order  party  as  against  the  "Flatheads,"  something  like  the 
Kentucky  Regulators,  and  they  tried  to  "get  him,"  but  he  got  away 
from  them  and  came  to  Mount  Vernon.  He  was  a  man  of  more 
than  ordinary  ability  and  rose  to  distinction  without  friends  or 
money.  His  intellect,  legal  erudition  and  unbending  integrity  com- 
manded confidence  and  respect  wherever  he  was  known.  Jasper 
Partridge  was  a  partner  with  him,  but  in  1861  he  raised  Company  I 
of  the  Forty-fourth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry  and  became  cap- 
tain of  same,  and  located  at  Carmi  after  the  war  until  he  died. 

SETH  F.  CREWS 

came  in  1872  and  joined  teams  with  George  M.  Haynes  in  the  law. 
He  was  elected  State's  Attorney  in  1876,  and  to  the  Legislature  in 
1882,  then  moved  to  Chicago  where  he  now  resides. 

A.   M.  GREEN 

graduated  in  the  law  at  Ann  Arbor,  Michigan,  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  1870.  In  1872  he  was  elected  State's  Attorney  and 
served  four  years.  In  1877  he  was  sent  to  the  Legislature  and 
moved  to  Texas,  where  he  is  quite  prominent  in  his  profession  and 
in  politics. 

C.   A.   KELLER 

was  a  Jefferson  county  boy,  son  of  Willis  Keller,  grew  up  to  be  a 
good  lawyer,  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1873  and  elected  County 


110  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

Judge  in  1877,  serving  acceptably  for  four  years.  He  edited  a 
Democratic  paper  here  and  moved  to  Texas  several  years  ago  and  is 
doing  well  there. 

GEORGE  B.   LEONARD, 

another  Jefferson  county  production,  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1876; 
practiced  here  for  several  years  and  moved  to  Danville,  Illinois, 
where  he  ranks  with  the  most  successful  practitioners. 

C.  H.  PATTON, 

for  many  years  the  acknowledged  head  of  the  Mount  Vernon  bar. 
came  here  just  before  the  war,  taught  school  and  worked  about. 
Was  elected  County  Clerk  in  1865,  served  until  1869,  then  pur- 
sued the  practice  of  law  with  diligence  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred a  few  years  ago.  He  was  a  leading  Mason,  and  a  promi- 
nent man  in  politics — always  a  Democrat — public-spirited  in  all 
local  enterprises  and  a  valuable  citizen  of  the  town  and  greatly 
missed  when  he  died. 

JAMES  M.  POLLOCK 

came  to  Mount  Vernon  in  1857  and  entered  upon  the  practice  of 
law.  In  1864  he  was  elected  Circuit  Judge,  and  was  re-elected. 
He  was  a  good  lawyer,  a  Presbyterian  and  a  Democrat.  He 
died  some  time  in  the  eighties. 

W.  C.  POLLOCK, 

son  of  J.  M.,  obtained  license  and  began  the  practice  of  law  here, 
but  now  holds  a  legal  position  of  some  kind  at  Washington,  D.  C. 
He  married  Judge  Grant's  daughter.  May. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  1  1  1 

JAMES  M.   PACE 

was  born  in  Mount  Vernon  in  1 826,  among  the  first  male  children 
coming  into  the  world  in  Mount  Vernon.  He  was  a  "fixture"  here 
during  his  natural  life.  Nearly  everybody  knew  him  and  it  may 
be  nearer  the  truth  to  say  that  he  knew  everybody  in  the  county,  for 
he  was  almost  a  walkmg  encyclopedia  of  knowledge  of  things  per- 
tainmg  to  Jefferson  county  and  we  personally  regret  his  absence  as 
we  try  to  lasso  facts  for  this  volume.  He  certainly  would  be  of 
very  great  help  to  us  now  and  our  life-long  friendship  would,  we 
feel  certam,  insure  us  this  assistance.  For  several  years  he  was 
County  School  Superintendent  and  when  a  city  charter  was 
granted  to  Mount  Vernon,  he  became  its  first  Mayor.  He  and  his 
wife  died  within  a  year  of  each  other,  leaving  Judge  W.  T.  Pace 
and  Mrs.  Bitrolf,  surviving  children. 

W.  N.  WHITE 

was  a  promising  young  lawyer,  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1879,  elected 
State's  Attorney  in  1 880.     He  served  faithfully. 

GEORGE  M.    HAYNES, 

admitted  in  1870,  was  a  partner  of  Seth  Crews  and  drifted  to  Chi- 
cago with  him  and  has  served  as  Corporation  Counsel  and  other 
important  places.  George  is  one  of  these  good,  whole-souled  fel- 
lows that  we  read  about,  but  seldom  meet.  He  was  a  grandson 
of  Joel  Pace  and  a  better  historian  than  we  ever  expect  to  be. 

R.    A.    D.    WILBANKS, 

admitted  to  the  bar  in  1867,  for  twelve  years  was  Clerk  of  the 
Supreme  Court,  but  was  generally  too  busy  with  politics  to  do  much 
at  the  law.     He  has  been  dead  several  years. 


112  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

GREENBURY  WRIGHT 

was  a  character  we  had  nearly  forgotten,  but  he  knew  a  great  deal 
of  law,  but  went  to  the  West  to  grow  up  with  the  country, 

JAKE  ALBRIGHT 
wasn't  very  slow  at  the  law  and  married  D.  C.  Morrison's  daughter. 

BOB  MORRISON 
is  still  trying  to  imitate  Blackstone  down  in  Gallatin  county. 

COLONEL  HICKS, 

too,  was  a  great  lawyer,  but  he  gloried  more  in  military  achieve- 
ments and  we  have  not  his  legal  record,  but  his  military  history  is 
given  elsewhere. 

FINNEY  PRESTON, 

was  a  lawyer,  but  he  didn't  practice  here,  was  only  Clerk  of  the  Su- 
preme Court. 

E.   V.    SATTERFIELD, 

admitted — well,  he  admitted  himself;  anyhow,  he  knew  a  good  deal 
of  common  law. 

This  concludes  the  members  of  the  bar  who  are  "absent  with- 
out leave" — who  have  "appealed  their  cases  to  the  higher  court" — 
and  we  feel  it  proper  and  right  that  we  turn  our  pencil  upon  the 
legal  lights  who  are  still  with  us,  cumber  the  earth  with  their  pres- 
ence, as  follows: 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  113 

JOEL  F.  WATSON.  We  take  our  young  friend,  Joel  F.,  first, 
because  we  believe  in  putting  our  young  men  to  the  front  and  be- 
cause Joel  F.  Watson,  Sr.,  was  an  honored  name  among  our  pio- 
neers. He  was  the  grandfather  of  our  youngest  attorney  whose 
name  he  bears.  Joel  was  recently  graduated  from  a  noted  Texas 
law  school,  married  a  Texas  belle  and  came  home  to  embark  in  the 
practice  of  the  profession  as  a  partner  of  his  father,  Albert  Watson. 
He  is  now  serving  as  Master  in  Chancery,  and  has  a  bright  future 
before  him. 

WILLIAM  T.  PACE,  son  of  James  M.  Pace,  and  the  grand- 
son of  Harvey  T.  Pace,  is  too  well  known  to  be  presented  to  the 
people  now  living  here,  but  for  the  benefit  of  coming  generations, 
we  will  state  that  no  more  genial  man  lives  than  Willie  Pace.  He 
is  a  lawyer  of  good  repute,  always  seeking  to  know  just  what  is 
the  law,  and  have  it  take  its  course.  He  is  true  to  his  clients  and  if 
any  of  them  have  a  bad  case  he  frankly  tells  them  so.  He  served 
as  County  Judge  for  several  years,  and  gave  general  satisfaction. 
Recently  he  and  Miss  Dry,  of  DuQuoin,  were  united  in  wedlock, 
and  have  settled  down  to  housekeeping  in  the  old  homestead  so 
recently  vacated  by  the  death  of  his  lamented  parents. 

ALBERT  WATSON,  the  youngest  of  three  sons  bom  to  Joel 
F.  and  Sarah  (Taylor)  Watson,  was  born  in  Mount  Vernon,  April 
15,  1857,  attended  Mount  Vernon  schools  and  finished  up  at  Mc- 
Kendree  College.  He  taught  school  two  years,  then  began  reading 
law  under  C.  H.  Patton,  was  married  to  Mary  E.  Way.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1880  and  it  is  now  admitted  by  all  that  he 
is  a  good,  safe  lawyer.  He  is  also  president  of  the  Ham  National 
Bank  of  this  city,  the  bank  at  Ashley,  at  Ina,  and  Ewing. 

WILLIAM  H.  GREEN,  the  son  of  Dr.  W.  Duff  Green,  is  an- 
other Jefferson  county  production,  a  valuable  citizen  and  one  of  the 
best  lawyers  in  Southern  Illinois.     He  is  an  impressive  pleader,  a 


114  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

close  student  of  all  the  important  decisions  of  the  courts,  with  a 
mind  judicially  poised,  backed  up  with  a  determination  to  reach 
the  highest  round  in  the  ladder  of  professional  excellence.  He  has 
been  the  choice  of  his  own  county  for  several  years  for  the  Circuit 
judgeship.  He  has  served  the  county  as  State's  Attorney,  as  repre- 
sentative in  the  State  Assembly,  and  other  important  places  with 
honor  and  fidelity.  The  most  peculiar  part  of  it  is  he  is  a  bachelor. 
"A  hint  to  the  wise,"  etc. 

A.  D.  WEBB,  now  County  Judge,  is  a  Franklin  county  product, 
but  a  fine  man  and  a  good  lawyer.  He  is  now  in  the  full  flush  of 
manhood,  with  ability  and  determination  enough  to  keep  him  at  the 
front  for  many  years  to  come.  As  Judge  he  is  proving  himself 
the  right  man  in  the  right  place. 

C.  W.  HAE^ISS,  a  Perry  county  boy,  son  of  Rev.  J.  Carroll 
Harriss,  a  war-time  friend  of  the  writer,  "Clarence,"  as  we  all  call 
him,  is  a  conscientious,  industrious,  painstaking  young  man,  combin- 
ing all  the  elements  that  go  to  make  up  an  ideal  legal  light.  He  has  a 
business  partnership  with  Judge  Webb,  and  is  getting  his  share  of 
the  practice  and  has  a  bright  future  before  him.  He  recently  mar- 
ried an  excellent  Mount  Vernon  girl,  the  late  William  H.  Herd- 
man's  daughter,  and  is  "one  of  us"  for  all  time  to  come.  He  is  de- 
veloping into  an  orator  of  considerable  ability. 

WILLIAM  C.  BLAIR  came  to  us  as  a  Washington  county  prod- 
uct, and  is  gaining  prominence  as  a  criminal  lawyer,  but  is  perhaps 
a  little  more  inclined  to  politics  than  the  law.  He  has  served  in 
the  capacity  of  State's  Attorney,  Master  in  Chancery,  and  has  just 
been  re-elected  as  Representative  in  the  Legislature.  Both  as  a 
lawyer  and  a  politician,  hunting  the  "deep  swimming  holes,"  he  will 
no  doubt  succeed  in  "getting  there." 

EUGENE  PEAVLER,  another  home  production,  is  one  of  our 
rising  young  men  with  the  requisite  ability  and  vigor,  and  will  sue- 


WALLS   HISTORY  OF  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 


115 


ceed.  He  graduated  at  the  law  in  one  of  Indiana's  best  law 
schools.  He  has  just  served  two  terms  as  City  Attorney  for  Mount 
Vernon.  He  may  not  intend  to  get  in  anybody's  way,  but  it  would 
be  a  good  idea  for  aspiring  young  fellows,  like  himself,  to  leave  him 
a  clear  track. 

CON  SCHUL  is  an  importation,  but  has  been  forging  to  the 
front  since  he  came.  He  is  one  of  those  self-made  lawyers  that 
knows  no  defeat,  and  his  only  danger,  perhaps,  comes  from  within. 
He  is  persistently  for  his  client  (as  all  good  lawyers  are)  and  no 
loop-hole  escapes  his  attention.  When  it  comes  to  pros  and  cons, 
he  is  always  on  the  "Con"  side. 

ROBERT  CARPENTER  was  a  student  of  C.  H.  Patton  and  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  the  correct  principles  of  the  law  well  settled  in 
his  mind,  but  never  has  sought  much  practice,  and  he  is  advanced  in 
age  now,  so  that  he  will  not  long  be  seeking  earthly  justice,  but 
justice  of  a  higher  order,  and  it  certainly  cannot  be  that  any  Jef- 
ferson county  lawyer  will  be  found  on  the  wrong  side  when  it  comes 
to — the  highest  court.     At  least,  we  hope  not. 

JAMES  L.  POLLOCK,  son  of  the  late  Judge  Pollock,  was  raised 
in  our  midst,  married  here,  and  is  one  of  us.  He  is  a  good,  quiet 
citizen,  a  good  lawyer  and  is  doing  well  m  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession. He  was  a  candidate  for  State's  Attorney,  but  was  dis- 
tanced in  the  primary.  He  is  a  better  lawyer  than  politician.  No 
doubt,  he  will  be  favorably  heard  from  along  the  legal  road  of  life. 

KIRBY  SMITH,  a  Scion  of  one  of  the  F.  F.  J's.  (first  families 
of  Jefferson),  is  another  member  of  our  local  bar,  well  equipped  for 
unravelling  the  legal  tangles  that  may  occur  in  our  county.  Like  the 
rest  of  the  bar,  he  is  comparatively  a  young  man  and  has  great 
possibilities  ahead  of  him.  Perhaps  the  law  would  yield  more  to 
him  than  politics,  as  he  has  just  received  his  second  defeat  for  State's 
Attorney,  but  is  now  ready  for  any  legal  tussle  that  may  come  along. 


1  16  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

GEORGE  L.  ORE,  his  Republican  opponent,  was  re-elected 
State's  Attorney.  Ore  is  a  Hamilton  county  production,  but  as 
the  saying  down  there  is,  "he's  a  yallar  good  one."  He  is  just  enter- 
ing on  another  four  years'  term  as  State's  Attorney,  which  posi- 
tion he  fills  to  the  perfect  satisfaction  of  the  people,  and  although  the 
county  is  normally  Democratic  and  he  is  a  Republican,  he  has  been 
elected  twice  in  succession. 

NORMAN  H.  MOSS  is  another  Jefferson  county  production  and 
a  good  one  at  that.  He  has  been  in  the  practice  of  law  several 
years,  and  is  quite  popular — a  logical  reasoner,  a  close  thinker,  an 
attractive  speaker  and  wears  a  smile  that  will  not  come  off.  He 
has  a  bright  future  before  him,  legally  speaking,  if  he  does  not  fol- 
low the  ignis  fatuus  of  politics  too  far  into  the  dismal  swamp.  He 
has  been  a  member  of  the  Legislature  and  is  now  serving  as  parole 
officer  of  the  Southern  Illinois  Penitentiary. 

NORMAN  A.  PIERCY  is  another  Jefferson  county  product,  and 
interests  himself  both  in  the  law  and  agricultural  pursuits  and  is  do- 
ing well.  He  is  strictly  conscientious  in  his  dealings  with  his  fellow 
men — a  thing,  we  regret  to  say,  cannot  always  be  truthfully  said  of 
lawyers. 

ROBERT  M.  FARTHING,  also  a  native  of  old  Jefferson  county, 
ranks  A  No.  I  in  the  courts  and  on  the  bench.  He  served  four 
years  as  County  Judge.  For  the  past  two  years  he  has  held  an  im- 
portant legal  position  under  the  government,  with  headquarters  in 
Ohio,  but  has  never  thought  of  giving  up  Mount  Vernon  as  his  home. 
We  still  claim  him  as  "our  Bob."  The  people  will  watch  for  his 
home-coming. 

JOHN  BAKER,  Farthing's  student,  is  also  in  Ohio,  with  him. 
Baker  is  a  young  man  just  entering  the  profession  and  will  no  doubt 
make  his  mark.     He  is  also  a  Jefferson  county  product. 

One  of  the  peculiarities  in  connection  with  our  present  bar  is 


wall's  history  of  JEFFEE^ON  CO.,  ILL.  1 1  7 

the  fact  that  they  are  all  comparatively  young  men  (except  one) 
and  nearly  all  Jefferson  county  "kids,"  hence  our  anxiety  to  see 
them  all  do  well,  so  that  the  next  historian  may  embalm  them  in  a 
sarcophagus  of  good  words  and  sweet  memories. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

JEFFERSON  COUNTY's  MILITARY  HISTORY. 

Its  part  in  Black  Hawk  and  Mexican  Wars.  The  War  for 
the  Union,  and  the  Spanish  War. 

It  is  great  to  be  out  where  the  fight  is  strong. 
To  be  where  the  heaviest  troops  belong. 
And  fight  there  for  man  and  God. 

Every  state  and  nearly  every  county  in  the  Union  has  had 
military  experience — that  is,  have  furnished  men  and  perhaps  means 
for  military  service.  So  our  own  Jefferson  county  has  had  a  part  in 
all  the  wars  that  have  taken  place  since  its  formation — and  before. 
While  the  county  may  not  have  had  a  soldier  that  served  in  the 
Revolutionary  war,  it  has  had  many  descendants  of  such  soldiers. 
But  quite  a  number  of  our  pioneers  took  part  in  the  War  of  1 8 1 2 — 
but  these  wars  had  passed  into  history  before  Jefferson  county  came 
upon  the  stage  of  action  and  our  greatest  interest  in  them  is  the  fact 
that  without  them  Jefferson  county  would  never  have  existed;  in 
fact,  none  of  the  states  and  counties  of  these  glorious  United  States 
would  have  been,  had  it  not  been  for  these  wars.  The  Revolution- 
ary war  transferred  this  magnificent  domain  to  us,  and  the  War  of 
1812  settled  its  ownership,  perhaps  for  ever.  The  result  of  these 
wars  was  the  securing  to  the  puny  Republic  of  thirteen  feeble  Amer- 
ican colonies  an  empire  greater  than  that  over  which  the  Roman 
eagles  soared,  when  it  was  said:     "From  her  throne  of  beauty  she 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  119 

ruled  the  world."  War  is  calamity,  nay,  as  General  Sherman 
said,  "War  is  hell,"  but  without  it  we  could  never  have  permanently 
established  this  grand  empire  and  made  it  free  for  all. 

We  hardly  know  where  to  begin  or  what  to  say  as  regards 
Jefferson's  county  war  record.  Suffice  it  for  the  present  to  say 
that  her  sons  have  always  been  in  the  forefront  of  danger,  when 
duty  or  patriotism  demanded  it,  and  her  daughters  have  always  been 
equally  patriotic  and  faithful  to  the  county  in  encouraging  and  min- 
istering to  the  comforts  and  wants  of  her  "soldier  boys."  As  al- 
ready stated,  several  of  the  Maxeys,  Wilkies  and  others  were  in 
the  War  of  1812 — long  before  the  county  was  formed.  At  the 
time  of  that  war  this  part  of  the  country  was  having  "troubles  of  its 
own"  with  the  Indians.  Then  the  Black  Hawk  war  sprung  up  in 
1 83 1 ,  and  Jefferson  county  sent  many  of  her  best  citizens  to  quell  the 
disturbance.  The  Indians  were  very  largely  responsible  for  the  war. 
and  those  who  have  read  the  Indians'  characteristics  can  readily 
imagine  what  this  means.  Jefferson  county  sent  a  full  company. 
WTiile  we  would  be  pleased  to  give  a  roster  of  all  Jefferson  county 
companies  that  have  served  in  all  wars,  we  know  that  time  and  space 
forbid ;  but  the  patriotic  example  set  by  the  few  pioneers  then  in  the 
county  seems  to  demand  that  their  names  be  handed  down  to  pos- 
terity. Here  they  are:  Captain — James  Bowman;  Lieutenants — 
F.  S.  Casey,  Green  Depriest;  Sergeants — S.  G.  Hicks,  Eli  D.  An- 
derson, J.  R.  Satterfield  and  Littleton  Daniels;  Corporals — George 
Bullock,  James  Bullock,  Isaac  Casey,  Isaac  Depriest;  Privates — 
S.  H.  Anderson,  G.  W.  Atchinson,  Ignitious  Atchinson,  Sam- 
uel Bullock,  WiUiam  Bingaman,  John  Baugh,  James  Brad- 
ford, M.  D.  Bruce,  P.  C.  Buffington.  S.  W.  Carpenter. 
Zadok  Casey,  John  Darnell,  William  Deweeze,  Gasaway 
Elkins,  Robert  Elkins,  Isaac  Faulkinberg,  W.  D.  Gaston, 
W.    B.    Holder,    W.    B.    Hayes,    James    Ham,    Joel    Harlow, 


120  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

John  Isom,  John  Jenkins,  David  Kitrell,  J.  C.  Martin,  N.  Morgan, 
I.  F.  Miner.  J.  E.  McBrian,  H.  B.  Newby,  J.  R.  Owens,  Peter 
Owens,  Wyatt  Parish,  George  W.  Pace,  James  Rhea,  Jacob 
Reynolds,  WilHam  and  Noe  Thomason.  They  had  one  man  killed 
and  three  wounded  and  two  or  three  died  of  disease.  We  give 
this  short  roster  because  it  comprises  the  best  citizens  of  the  county, 
and  because  these  names  and  their  descendants  appear  in  all  the 
later  military  lists  of  the  county.  Each  man  furnished  his  own  horse 
and  gun — and  "waited"  for  his  pay.  But  the  war  was  soon  over 
and  that  was  the  last  Indian  war  in  Illinois. 

THE  MEXICAN   WAR. 

Early  in  1846  war  was  declared  against  Mexico  and  Illinois 
furnished  four  regiments.  Jefferson  county  contributed  two  full 
companies.  The  first.  Company  H,  was  part  of  the  third  regiment. 
Col.  Ferris  Foreman,  of  Vandalia,  commanding;  Col. 
Stephen  G.  Hicks  was  captain  and  Lewis  F.  Casey  and  William 
A.  Thomas  (Bob's  father),  lieutenants.  The  company  left  Mount 
Vernon  on  June  1 8,  1 846,  marched  to  Alton  and  from  there  em- 
barked to  Mexico.  They  saw  hard  service,  were  at  Vera  Cruz, 
Cerro  Gordo  and  other  small  battles.  The  action  of  this  and  other 
Ilhnois  companies  at  Cerro  Gordo  caused  General  Twiggs,  then  in 
command,  to  exclaim:  "Well,  I  never  saw  such  fellows  as  you  Illi- 
nois men  are — with  others,  it  is  "go,  "  but  with  you  it  is  "come  on." 
After  the  capture  of  Jalapa,  the  term  of  Company  H  expired  and 
the  men  came  home  in  1847. 

The  second  company  was  enrolled  at  Mount  Vernon,  June  3, 
1847,  under  the  second  call.  The  company  had  in  it,  also,  some 
of  the  best  men  of  the  county  and  was  officered  by  Captain  James 
Bowman;  Eli  D.  Anderson   (the  writer's  landlord  at  the  Mount 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  121 

Vernon  Inn,  to  whom  he  was  a  "bound"  boy)  and  Willis  Holder, 
lieutenants.  This  company  suffered  heavily  from  disease,  and 
among  the  number,  Lieutenant  Anderson  died  at  Vera  Cruz.  The 
company  went  to  Alton,  but  did  not  set  sail  for  Mexico  until  Au- 
gust 1 3th.  After  reaching  Mexico,  they  were  on  duty  until  the  close 
of  the  war,  but  were  not  engaged  in  big  battles  as  was  the  first  com- 
pany. The  company  was  A,  of  the  Second  Regiment,  by  Colonel 
Collins  and  S.  G.  Hicks,  lieutenant-colonel.  When  this  war  came 
up,  eight  thousand  Illinoisans  offered  themselves,  but  only  thirty- 
eight  hundred  could  be  accepted.  The  fields  of  Beuna  Vista,  Vera 
Cruz  and  Cerro  Gordo  will  carry  the  glory  of  our  Illinois  soldiers 
long  after  the  causes  that  led  to  the  war  have  been  forgotten.  We 
may  state  that  many  considered  the  "cause"  of  the  war  an  insuffi- 
cient "excuse"  for  war.  It  brought  us  the  great  state  of  Texas,  but 
increased  our  slave  territory. 

WAR   FOR   THE   UNION. 

But  it  was  reserved  till  our  day  for  our  sons  to  find  a  field,  a 
cause  and  a  "foeman  worthy  of  our  steel" — that  fully  brought  out 
and  illustrate  the  true  spirit  of  heroism  in  all  its  fullness.  Illinois 
put  nearly  three  hundred  thousand  gallant  soldier  boys  in  the  field — 
far  exceeding  the  number  the  Federal  government  had  in  all  the 
wars  of  the  Revolution,  but  our  present  duty  is  to  confine  our  re- 
marks, as  nearly  as  possible,  to  the  soldier  boys  of  Jefferson  county. 

When  the  war  for  the  preservation  of  the  Union  was  forced 
upon  the  country,  Jefferson  county  came  to  the  front  and  did  her 
whole  duty  in  the  glorious  work  of  maintaining  the  Union,  one  and 
indivisible,  and  upholding  the  honor  of  the  flag.  True,  not  many 
of  the  original  settlers  went  to  the  front,  for  they  had  finished  their 
work  and  passed  on  to  their  reward,  but  their  descendants  were 


122  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

largely  in  evidence  and  none  were  more  deserving  of  praise  and 
honor.  Speaking  of  "soldier  boys,"  how  literally  true  the  expres- 
sion: The  great  war  was  fought  and  won  by  boys.  There  were 
two  thousand  boys  in  the  Union  army  under  fourteen  years  of  age; 
eighty-six  hundred  under  sixteen  years  old ;  one  million  one  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  under  eighteen;  two  million  one  hundred  and 
sixty-eight  thousand  under  twenty-one — literally  a  boys'  fight.  No 
wonder  we  call  them  "our  boys,"  and  no  wonder  we  are  proud  of 
them  and  their  parents  who  taught  them  patriotism.  May  the  coun- 
try ever  be  blessed  with  such  parents — and  such  boys.  Were  it 
possible,  we  should  like  to  individualize  the  service  of  each  of  our 
Jefferson  county  boys,  but  we  must  content  ourself  with  saying  that 
all — from  general  to  the  last  private  in  the  rear  rank — proved  them- 
selves brave  and  patriotic — entitled  to  the  undying  respect  and  love 
of  every  good  citizen  of  our  county  and  state.  Like  other  counties, 
Jefferson  had  a  few  secession  sympathizers  who  allowed  their  prej- 
udice against  President  Lincoln  and  his  party  to  alienate  them  en- 
tirely from  all  feeling  of  loyalty  and  to  even  hate  their  loyal  neigh- 
bors. The  most  peculiar  phase  of  it  was  that  men  who  had  been 
driven  from  the  South  on  account  of  slavery  and  had  obtained  free 
homes  here,  were  apparently  ready  to  fight  for  the  perpetuation  of 
slavery.  Ex-sheriff  John  Bagwell  organized  a  small  company  of 
these  "mistaken  spirits"  and  took  them  into  the  service  of  the  Jeff 
Davis  oligarchy.  Many  of  them  never  came  back — Bagwell  him- 
self was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Shiloh.  Some  parties  of  this  kind 
who  remained  in  Jefferson  county,  caused  more  ui^easiness  among 
the  loyal  women  and  children,  than  the  "braves"  who  went  to  the 
front — on  the  wrong  side.  And  even  today,  after  the  war  feeling 
has  entirely  subsided,  the  boys  in  blue  persist  in  saying  that  they  have 
more  respect  for  the  boys  that  went  and  fought  on  the  other  side, 
than  they  had  for  those  who  were  not  brave  enough  to  fight  as  they 
talked. 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  123 

When  the  war  became  inevitable,  Jefferson  county  was  no 
laggard  in  taking  the  right  side.  When  the  stars  and  stripes  were 
hauled  down  from  Fort  Sumpter  and  the  rebel  rag  displayed  in  its 
place,  it  set  our  best  people  ablaze  with  patriotic  zeal  and  many 
rushed  off  and  joined  the  first  squad  they  could  find — ready  to  die, 
if  need  be,  for  the  flag  and  the  Union.  Part  of  Noleman's  Cavalry 
was  the  first  organized  squad  to  leave  the  county. 

THE  FORTIETH  REGIMENT  was  soon  organized,  principally 
from  Wayne,  Hamilton  and  Franklin  counties,  but  with  enough 
Jefferson  county  boys  to  fill  some  of  the  most  important  offices. 
Col.  S.  G.  Hicks  was  made  its  colonel,  John  W.  Baugh  its  ad- 
jutant, Albion  F.  Taylor  its  quartermaster,  and  S.  H.  Watson  one 
of  its  captains,  but  he  was  soon  placed  on  the  commander's  staff. 
Also  several  privates  from  the  county  helped  the  Fortieth  to 
be  one  of  the  very  best  regiments  in  the  service.  At  the  battle  of 
Shiloh,  while  leading  the  Fortieth  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight  Colonel 
Hicks  was  wounded  and  fell  from  his  horse,  but  he  pointed  for  the 
regiment  to  sweep  on  and  he  crawled  to  water,  half  mile  away,  and 
washed  his  wounds  with  his  own  hands.  After  he  recovered.  Gen- 
eral Sherman  put  Colonel  Hicks  in  command  of  Paducah,  Ken- 
tucky. The  rebel  General  Forrest  sent  in  a  demand  for  the  uncon- 
ditional surrender  of  the  place  and  Colonel  Hicks  sent  him  word  he 
would  have  to  "come  and  take  it.  "  They  came  and  the  battle 
was  fierce,  while  it  lasted.  The  rebel  had  about  twelve  hundred 
killed  and  wounded,  while  Hick's  force,  being  protected  by  the  fort, 
lost  only  seventeen  killed,  and  a  number  wounded.  Hicks  died  in 
1869,  Mrs.  Albion  Taylor  being  his  surviving  child.  The  Fortieth 
with  forty  other  Illinois  regiments,  marched  with  Sherman  to  the  sea 
and  home  again  and  made  an  unexcelled  record  for  duty  and 
bravery. 

THE  FORTY-FOURTH  REGIMENT  contained  the  first  full  com- 
pany that  marched  out  of  Jefferson  county — Company  I.     Jasper 


124  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,  ILL. 

Partridge  was  made  captain,  Russell  Brown  and  Jesse  Bliss,  lieu- 
tenants, with  the  writer  as  first  sergeant,  which  was  supposed  to  be 
in  the  line  of  promotion;  but  at  the  end  of  three  years  the  above 
officers  still  held  their  commissions — a  thing  that  did  not  occur  with 
any  other  company  in  our  knowledge.  Company  F,  organized  at 
Ashley,  also  contained  many  Jefferson  county  men,  and  these  two 
companies  went  to  Chicago  and  joined  an  organization  calling  itself 
the  Northwestern  Rifle  Regiment,  but  which  was  numbered  the 
Forty-fourth  Illinois  when  finally  mustered  into  service.  This  act 
almost  caused  a  mutiny  in  the  regiment  from  the  fact  that  there  were 
two  full  companies  from  Ohio  and  two  from  Michigan  in  the  or- 
ganization. This  mutiny  did  finally  break  out  when  at  the  St.  Louis 
arsenal  the  regiment,  company  by  company,  refused  to  be  armed 
with  old  wire-locked  muskets,  instead  of  rifles  as  we  had  been 
promised.  The  regiment  was  ordered  locked  up  in  the  arsenal  and 
after  two  days,  the  authorities,  seeing  that  the  regiment  was  full  of 
American  grit,  finally  issued  the  promised  guns  and  the  regiment 
went  "flying"  after  "Pap"  Price.  We  finally  caught  up  with  him 
and  McCullough,  VanDorn  and  Albert  Pike,  with  his  half-breeds 
(more  than  double  our  number)  at  Pea  Ridge,  Arkansas,  fought 
the  whole  outfit  for  three  days  and  won  the  most  signal  victory.  The 
guerrillas  had  captured  our  supply  trains  and  being  too  hundred 
miles  from  our  base  of  supplies  (there  being  no  railroads),  we 
then  foraged  as  we  went  through  South  Missouri  and  Arkansas 
under  General  Osterhouse,  and  finally  went  to  Tennessee,  then  to 
Mississippi,  then  to  Cincinnati,  then  to  Louisville,  where  we  joined 
the  army  of  the  Cumberland  and  were  in  all  the  battles  southward. 
In  the  terrible  battle  of  Stone  River,  the  writer  was  badly  wounded 
and  taken  prisoner,  taken  south  and  enjoyed  the  hospitality  of  Con- 
federate prison  fare  at  several  points — especially  at  Libby  in  Rich- 
mond.    After  passing  through  all  the  battles  of  the  Atlantic  cam- 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  125 

paign — Buzzard  Roost,  Rocky  Face,  Resaca,  Dallas,  New  Hope, 
Kenesaw  Mountain,  Chattahoochie,  Peach  Tree  Creek,  Atlanta, 
etc.,  came  back  and  participated  in  the  battles  of  Nashville  and 
Franklin.  This  reminds  us  that  forty-four  years  ago  this  30th  of 
November,  the  Forty-fourth  and  a  few  other  Illinois  organizations 
were  engaged  in  the  sanguine  battle  of  Franklin,  which  was  the  cul- 
mination of  sixty-nine  days  of  anxiety,  both  North  and  South. 
Buoyed  by  hope.  Hood  sacrificed  Joe  Johnson's  veterans  in  useless 
assaults  upon  Sherman's  troops  before  Atlanta.  He  fancied  he 
could  fall  back  on  Sherman's  line  of  supplies,  defeat  Thomas,  and 
draw  Sherman's  army  back  into  Middle  Tennessee.  But  on  that 
could  November  morning,  he  found  the  Union  troops  entrenched 
on  Harpeth  river,  near  Franklin,  and  tried  to  roust  them  from  their 
breast-works,  with  the  result  that  Hood's  army  lost  seven  thousand 
men  and  our  troops  suffered  a  loss  of  three  thousand.  The  battle 
was  proportionately  more  desperate,  ferocious  and  destructive  than 
was  Gettysburg.  It  was,  in  fact,  the  critical  battle  of  the  war,  for 
Grant  had  troubles  of  his  own  in  Virginia,  and  decided  victory  over 
"The  Rock  of  Chickamauga"  at  this  time  and  place,  would  have 
recalled  Sherman's  army  and  the  war  "between  the  states"  would 
have  been  indefinitely  prolonged.  It  was  truly  a  case  of  "when 
Americans  meet  Americans,  then  comes  the  tug  of  war." 

After  the  fragment  of  Hood's  army  had  left  Tennessee,  the 
Forty-fourth  went  to  New  Orleans  and  to  Texas,  and  finally  got 
back  to  Illinois  in  October,  1865,  having  seen  more  than  four  years' 
service.  A  Jefferson  county  man,  William  J.  Stephenson,  was  the 
first  lieutenant  colonel  of  the  Forty-fourth  and  William  Stephen- 
son, a  lieutenant  of  Company  F. 

THE  FORTY-NINTH  ILLINOIS  was  another  regiment  that  had 
Jefferson  county  material.  Company  IC  being  made  up  here.  B.  F. 
Wood  was  captain,  then  Joseph  Laur,  James  Lcfi^nion  and  John  S. 


126  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

Brooks  were  lieutenants.  Col.  W.  R.  Morrison  was  colonel.  He 
was  wounded  at  Fort  Donelson  and  saying  his  wound  ought  to  send 
him  to  Congress,  he  went  home,  then  to  Congress.  It  was  assigned 
to  various  commands,  always  doing  its  full  duty,  and  being  mustered 
out  of  the  service  with  honor  inscribed  upon  its  banners. 

THE  SIXTIETH  REGIMENT  contained  more  Jefferson  county 
boys,  and  its  second  colonel  was  William  B.  Anderson,  a  Jefferson 
county  boy.  Its  last  colonel,  George  W.  Evans,  was  a  Jefferson 
county  farmer  and  banker  for  many  years,  and  a  public-spirited  man, 
whom  Mount  Vernon  missed  greatly  when  he  died  and  was  buried 
here  some  years  ago.  Three  companies  were  composed  of  Jeffer- 
son county  men,  besides  some  of  the  other  companies  had  some  of 
our  "own  raising."  Colonel  Anderson  was  born  in  Mount  Vernon 
in  1830,  a  son  of  Governor  Anderson,  was  educated  in  the  Mount 
Vernon  schools  and  at  McKendree  College,  studied  law  and  was 
admitted,  but  preferred  farming  and  did  not  practice.  In  1856  he 
was  elected  to  the  Legislature  and  re-elected.  He  was  the  first  to 
introduce  the  idea  of  a  constitutional  amendment  prohibiting  special 
legislation  and  making  all  laws  general  in  their  nature.  He  fought 
for  the  idea  until  he  became  a  member  of  the  constitutional  conven- 
tion, and  had  it  engrafted  into  that  instrument.  As  a  soldier.  Col- 
onel Anderson  was  both  noble  and  brilliant,  and  it  was  said  by  many 
that  Gen.  John  A.  Logan  and  Col.  (after  general)  W.  B. 
Anderson,  were  two  of  the  best  volunteer  officers  in  the  army.  After 
the  war,  General  Anderson  was  sent  to  Congress  and  served  as 
Pension  Agent  for  years.  He  died  full  of  years  and  well-merited 
honors.  He  was  a  brave  and  efficient  soldier.  As  a  general  he 
would  have  won  a  name  and  fame  surpassed  by  none.  He  went 
into  the  army  as  a  private  and  came  out  as  a  brigadier-general,  but 
this  promotion  camr  ^oo  near  the  close  of  the  struggle  to  avail  him 
anything  i'^  '^'      .,din  jf  an  active  general.     We  never  met  a  Sixtieth 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  127 

regiment  member  that  did  not  almost  worship  "Col.  Bill  Ander- 
son," he  was  so  kmd  and  human  to  his  men — often  letting  some  tired 
boy  ride  while  he  trudged  along  with  the  rank  and  file.  He  was 
a  loved  comrade  and  an  ideal  officer  and  Jefferson  county  may  well 
be  proud  of  the  life  and  services  of  general,  colonel,  comrade  Wil- 
liam B.  Anderson. 

Col.  G.  W.  Evans  of  the  Sixtieth,  was  a  brave,  gallant, 
faithful  soldier.  He  never  missed  a  march  or  a  battle  in  which  the 
regiment  participated.  He  was  in  all  the  battles  to  the  sea  and  was 
at  the  surrender  of  Gen.  Joe  Johnson,  and  led  his  regiment  in 
triumph  through  Richmond  to  Washington,  where  it  participated  in 
the  Grand  Review  and  then  to  Louisville,  Kentucky,  where  they 
were  mustered  out.  The  colonel  then  came  to  Jefferson  county  to 
live  and  die. 

Company  C,  of  the  Sixtieth,  had  John  R.  Moss  as  captain 
first,  then  Capt.  Simeon  Walker,  then  Capt.  Rhodam 
Allen,  but  he  modestly  declined  the  promotion  and  Frank  L.  Fer- 
guson was  made  captain.  Company  D,  mostly  from  Jefferson  coun- 
ty, had  Alfred  Davis  as  captain;  he  resigned  and  Luke  S.  Wil- 
banks  was  chosen;  he  also  resigned  and  John  B.  Coleman  (one  of 
Mount  Vernon's  best  citizens)  was  made  captain.  He  was  killed 
at  the  battle  of  Peach  Tree  Creek.  Company  G  had  the  follow- 
ing officers  from  our  county:  Jehu  J.  Maxey,  Cornelius  N.  Breeze, 
John  Frizell,  Asa  Hawkins,  J.  W.  Moses  and  John  A.  Johnson. 
The  Sixtieth  went  everywhere  it  was  ordered  to  go,  did  everything 
it  was  ordered  to  do — ate  all  the  "hard  tack  and  sow-belly"  in  sight, 
"busted"  the  black  coffee  kettle,  wore  out  all  the  uniforms  they  had 
and  came  home  to  be  good  citizens  and  die  in  peace — and  the  most 
of  them  have  -succeeded. 

THE  EIGHTIETH  REGIMENT  is  the  next  to  boast  of  Jefferson 
county  boys.    Company  E  was  a  full  company  from  the  county,  S. 


128  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

T.  Strattan,  captain;  Newton  C.  Pace,  first  and  C.  W.  Pavey, 
second  lieutenant.  After  the  battle  of  Perryville,  Kentucky,  Cap- 
tain Strattan  resigned  and  Pace  was  made  captain.  William  C. 
Maxey  was  first  lieutenant.  Lieutenant  Pavey  was  promoted  to  a 
captaincy,  but  was  on  detached  service  when  the  regiment  was  mus- 
tered out.  John  R.  Cunningham  was  made  captain  of  Company  H, 
and  Robert  Milburn,  lieutenant.  Rev.  John  W.  Lane,  of  Mount 
Vernon,  was  the  chaplain  of  the  regiment.  The  Eightieth  was  or- 
ganized at  Centralia  in  August,  1 862,  and  joined  the  army  then  or- 
ganizing at  Louisville.  At  the  battle  of  Perryville,  which  occurred 
a  few  days  after  they  were  mustered  in,  they  fought  like  veterans, 
but  lost  fourteen  killed  and  fifty-eight  wounded.  Lieut.  N.  C. 
Pace  was  wounded.  The  next  battle  was  at  Dug's  Gap  on  Sand 
Mountain,  and  Lieutenant  Pavey  was  wounded.  The  next  May  the 
regiment,  while  out  scouting,  was  captured  by  a  superior  force,  the 
men  paroled  and  the  officers  sent  to  Libby  prison.  After  the  men 
were  exchanged,  the  regiment  had  a  varied  experience — but  gener- 
ally varied  from  bad  to  worse — only  four  of  the  captured  officers 
ever  got  back  to  the  regiment.  During  its  term  of  service  it  traveled 
over  six  thousand  miles  and  took  part  in  over  twenty  battles.  It  was 
an  ideal  Illinois  regiment. 

THE  ONE  HUNDRED  TENTH  REGIMENT  also  contained  many 
Jefferson  county  boys.  Thomas  S.  Casey  was  its  colonel ;  Thomas 
H.  Hobbs,  its  quartermaster;  Dr.  Hiram  S.  Plummer,  its  surgeon. 
Company  B  had  for  its  officers:  Charles  H.  Maxey,  captain;  Sam- 
uel T.  Maxey,  first  lieutenant;  John  H.  Dukes,  second  lieutenant; 
Charles  Maxey  resigned  in  1 863  and  S.  T.  succeeded  him  as  cap- 
tain, but  he  was  mustered  out  under  the  consolidation  of  the  regi- 
ment. The  regiment  was  consolidated  into  a  battalion  of  four  com- 
panies, and  E.  H.  Topping  made  commander,  Casey,  Hobbs  and 
Plummer  being  mustered  out.     The  One  Hundred  Tenth  saw  less 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  129 

service  than  some  other  lUinois  regiments,  but  had  good  material 
for  good  soldiers,  but  it  is  said,  were  not  properly  trained  and  cared 
for.  The  battalion  did  excellent  service  under  good  military  rule. 
Dr.  W.  C.  Pace  as  surgeon  and  J.  P.  Watson,  captain,  both  of 
Ashley,  were  members  of  the  battalion.  Many  Jefferson  county 
men  besides  these,  scattered  in  various  commands,  were  good  and 
faithful  soldiers.  Nearly  every  regiment  recruited  in  Southern  Illi- 
nois caught  one  or  more  Jefferson  county  boys  and  it  is  sufficient  to 
say  that  not  one  of  them  ever  disgraced  themselves  or  the  county 
they  so  faithfully  represented. 

Many  Jefferson  county  boys  served  in  cavalry  regiments,  not- 
ably the  Sixth  and  Thirteenth  Cavalry,  but  we  have  not  the  record 
at  hand  and  can  only  say  they  were  brave  soldiers — like  the  rest. 
Capt.  Fred  Boswell  commanded  a  company  in  the  Thirteenth,  and 
some  few  were  in  the  artillery. 

It  would  have  been  a  pleasure  to  have  been  more  thorough  in 
giving  the  service  of  those  we  have  mentioned  and  many  we  have 
not  spoken  of.  The  story  of  Jefferson  county  soldiers  is  already  known 
far  and  wide.  A  perusal  of  the  Black  Hawk  and  Mexican  wars 
and  the  Civil  war  tells  the  story.  The  hundreds  of  battlefields,  and 
the  broken  ranks  of  the  home-coming  regiments  attested  that  they 
had  met  brave  men  like  themselves.  And  now  that  they  have 
fought  their  last  battle  and  sleep  their  last  sleep,  let  us  revere  their 
memories,  drop  a  tear  and  a  posy  on  their  sleeping  dust,  knowing 
that  their  spirits — their  real  selves — are  basking  in  the  sunlight  of 
eternal  peace  and  joy. 

But  the  noble,  patriotic,  loving  women  who  suffered  even  more 
than  the  soldiers  in  the  field,  who  cheered  us  with  kind  words  and 
often  with  delicacies  from  their  own  dear  hands,  and  who  always 
held  us  up  with  their  prayers — let  us  not  forget  them.  While  soldiers 
are  receiving  eulogies  and  encomiums  of  a  grateful  people,  let  not  the 


130  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

blessed  women  of  the  war  be  forgotten.  Brave,  noble,  generous 
loving  women.  Your  deeds  deserve  to  be  written  in  letters  of  shin- 
ing gold.  Your  gentle  ministrations  to  the  unfortunate  and  your 
loving  kindness  to  the  poor,  war-worn  soldiers  will  never  be  for- 
gotten, while  even  one  of  our  number  survives ;  and  your  noble,  self- 
sacrificing  devotion  to  your  country  will  ever  live  bright  and  imper- 
ishable as  the  sun  and  as  eternal  as  the  "Words  of  Life." 

Jefferson  county  sent  two  companies  of  splendid  soldier  boys 
to  the  Spanish- American  war  in  1 898 — one  was  part  of  the  Fourth 
and  the  other  part  of  the  Ninth  Illinois  Regiments.  Each  of  these 
came  home  with  the  consciousness  of  having  performed  well  their 
duties  and  having  their  names  placed  on  the  roll  of  honor.  Some 
of  them~we  now  recall  Bert  Reid,  Arthur  Easly  and  Bert  Watson- 
were  brought  back  as  dead  heroes,  and,  with  the  flag  they  loved 
wrapped  about  them,  sleep  the  sleep  that  knows  no  waking  this  side 
of  the  "grand  review"  above.  Although  this  last  war  was  not  a 
"breakfast  spell"  as  compared  with  the  "Great  War"  still  these  boys 
"kept  the  faith,  fought  the  good  fight"  and  henceforth  there  is  laid 
up  for  them  crowns  of  honor.  The  Spanish  war  fully  demonstrated 
the  fact  that  the  North  and  the  South  are  now  perfectly  united  in  up- 
holding the  Union  and  the  flag  forever.  The  contest  was  brief  but 
glorious.  Never  since  old  Commodore  Noah  landed  his  only  boat 
in  the  world  on  Mount  Ararat,  with  the  stars  and  stripes  proudly 
floating  before  her,  while  the  band  played :  "God  bless  the  whole 
'capoodle,'  Hail  Columbia  Yankee  Doodle,"  has  there  been  such  a 
triumphant  victory  on  the  waters  of  the  world,  as  was  achieved  by 
Admiral  Dewey  and  his  gallant  lads  in  Manila  bay  at  their  early 
morning  May-party — when  the  entire  Spanish  fleet  disappeared  be- 
neath the  waves.  And  never  since  Sampson  of  old  slew  his  thou- 
sands of  Philistines  with  the  jaw-bone  of  a  jack-rabbit,  has  there 
been  a  more  decided  "scoop"  than  when  Admiral  Sampson's  fleet 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  131 

"pulled  off"  another  world-renowned  American  victory,  by  send- 
ing the  balance  of  the  Spanish  fleet  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  while 
Old  Glory  waved  over  Cuba.  Our  American  fleet  is  not  only  the 
mistress  of  the  seas,  but  is  the  admiral  of  all  the  world,  as  has  been 
fully  demonstrated  by  the  honors  and  compliments  paid  it  in  its  re- 
cent visit  to  foreign  nations,  and  its  trip  around  the  world — having 
returned  (February  22,  1909)  with  not  a  scratch  on  any  of  the 
sixteen  ships. 

"Oh,  the  star-spangled  banner,  long  may  it  wave 
O'er  the  land  of  the  free  and  the  home  of  the  brave." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

HISTORY  OF  THE  SCHOOLS  IN  MOUNT  VERNON. 

Dating  Back  to  the  Beginning  and  the  Schools  of  Today. 

"Tis  education  forms  the  common  mind. 
Just  as  the  twig  is  bent  the  tree's  incHned." 

"I  know  not  what  the  future  hath 

Of  marvel  or  surprise, 
Assured  alone  that  life  and  death 

His  mercy  underlies." 

The  subject  of  education  should  engross  the  attention  of  every 
good  citizen  of  the  county.  It  certainly  does  interest  that  part  of  us 
who  in  our  "growing  up"  were  so  greatly  deprived  of  its  privileges. 
Our  forefathers  struck  the  keynote  when  they  declared  in  their 
famous  "Ordinance  of  I  787"  that  "knowledge  with  religion  and 
mortality  are  necessary  to  the  good  government  of  mankind."  With- 
out education  there  can  be  no  free  or  lasting  government.  An  igno- 
rant people  can  be  governed,  but  only  an  intelligent,  educated  people 
can  govern  themselves ;  in  other  words,  we  must  educate  or  we  will 
certainly  perish,  no  argument  is  needed  along  this  line. 

At  first  Congress  passed  an  act  enabling  Illinois  to  set  apart 
section  16  of  each  township  for  the  use  of  the  inhabitants  of  such 
township  for  the  support  of  schools.  The  sixteenth  section  so  do- 
nated, amounted  to  about  a  million  acres  for  Illinois  and  over  ten 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  133 

thousand  acres  for  Jefferson  county.  Truly  a  princely  donation  for 
education  in  that  day.  But  the  squatters  took  possession  of  the 
school  lands  and  wasted  the  timber  and  otherwise  decreased  the 
value  of  same  and  the  cause  of  education  languished,  the  settlements 
were  sparse,  money  scarce,  and  no  professional  teachers.  Thus 
things  went  on  until  in  1825,  the  Duncan  school  law,  a  good  one, 
but  far  in  advance  of  the  population,  was  passed,  which  declared: 
"To  enjoy  our  liberties  and  rights,  we  must  understand  them :  It  is 
a  well  established  fact  that  no  people  ever  continued  long  in  the  en- 
joyment of  civil  and  political  freedom,  who  were  not  virtuous  and 
enlightened;  it  is,  therefore,  considered  the  peculiar  duty  of  a  free 
government  like  ours,  to  extend  and  encourage  the  improvement  and 
cultivation  of  the  intellectual  energies  of  all."  Then  followed  the 
law,  which  is  really  the  foundation  upon  which  our  admirable  free 
school  system  of  today  rests,  and  which  is  now  being  enforced  and 
cared  for  by  Professor  Francis  G.  Blair,  a  Jefferson  county  boy. 
But  at  that  time  the  people  were  not  ready  for  it — not  educated  up 
to  it — and  after  its  repeal,  which  took  place  two  years  later,  the 
cause  of  education  languished;  and  for  many  years  the  school- 
houses,  school  books,  school-teachers  and  manner  of  mstruction  were 
of  the  most  primitive  character.  The  houses  were  of  the  proverbial 
log-cabin  variety,  and  the  books  were  as  rude  as  the  cabins  and  the 
teacher  was  sometimes  the  most  primitive  of  all.  He  considered  it 
his  duty  to  impart  instruction  by  means  of  a  gad,  just  as  we  con- 
trolled oxen  in  those  days.     It  was 

"Readin'  and  writin'  and  'rithmetic. 
Taught  to  the  tune  of  a  hickory  stick." 

We  have  before  us  some  time-worn  documents  gotten  up  by 
Edward  Maxey,  who  it  would  seem,  had  charge  of  the  schools  in 


134  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

this  vicinity  from  1825  to  1837.  The  documents  read  something 
Hke  this:  "I,  Edward  Maxey,  agree  to  teach  a  school  of  spelling, 
writing  and  arithmetic,  for  so  long,  for  five  days  each  week  and 
make  up  any  lost  time,  according  to  my  best  skill  and  the  scholars' 
several  capacities,  for  four  dollars  for  each  scholar — two  of  which 
to  be  paid  in  money  and  the  rest  in  pork  or  young  cattle  at  the  ex- 
piration of  the  term."  And  below  were  the  names  of  nearly  all  the 
pioneers,  signing  one  or  more  scholars,  some  one-half  scholar,  some 
one  and  one-half,  some  two  and  some  three.  And  these  agree- 
ments extended  through  several  years,  signed  by  Maxey  and  the 
early  settlers. 

And  so  the  work  of  education  went  on,  but  was  not  altogether 
satisfactory  even  to  the  most  unlearned.  But  the  "deestick  school- 
master" was  a  unique  character — a  personage  of  importance.  He 
was  even  considered  a  better  authority  on  law  than  the  Justice  of 
the  Peace.  He  ranked  high  in  social  life  and  was  considered  a  kind 
of  an  intellectual  center  of  the  neighborhood.  But  his  time  was  up 
and  he  passed  away;  he  fled  before  the  whistle  of  the  locomotive 
and  the  click  of  the  telegraph  and  we  shall  Aever  see  his  like  again. 
He  lives — only  in  tradition.  The  framers  of  the  Constitution  of 
1848,  said  the  General  Assembly  might  provide  a  system  of  free 
schools,  but  is  was  even  several  years  later  before  the  convention 
which  said :  "The  General  Assembly  shall  provide  a  thorough  and 
efficient  system  of  free  schools,  whereby  all  children  of  the  state  may 
receive  a  good  common  school  education,"  and  compelling  all  par- 
ents, guardians,  etc.,  to  send  the  children  under  their  care  to  the 
public  schools. 

SCHOOLS  IN  THE  COUNTY. 

The  first  school  ever  taught  in  Jefferson  county  was  in  1820, 
by  Joel  Pace,  who  was  then  County  Clerk.  It  was  taught  in  a  floor- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  135 

less  cabin,  without  ceiling  or  window — perhaps  without  shutter  to 
the  door.  The  next  school  was  by  James  Douglas  at  Old  Shiloh. 
He  boarded  at  Zadok  Casey's  and  it  was  then  that  the  Governor  got 
his  education — from  Douglas.  That  school-house  burned  down, 
another  one  built  and  Emory  Moore  taught  the  next  school  at  Old 
Union;  then  W.  L.  Howell.  A  man  named  Freeman  taught  a 
school  at  Mulberry  Hill  in  a  cabin  put  up  by  Clark  Casey,  and  thus 
the  school  went  on  and  afforded  the  children  about  the  only  excite- 
ment they  had  in  those  days.  The  testament,  the  spelling  book,  the 
arithmetic  and  a  little  writing  book  was  the  course  of  study,  and  the 
schools  were  loud — very  loud — for  everyone  "studied  out  loud, 
at  one  and  the  same  time. 

SCHOOLS  IN  TOWN. 

The  people  of  Mount  Vernon  for  several  years  patronized 
schools  in  Shiloh  township.  In  1831  a  log  school-house  was  erected 
about  wljere  George  Howard  now  lives,  this  side  of  General's 
Pavey's  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  city.  Scholars  came  from  the 
west  as  far  as  Bullock's  Prairie.  Here  Mr.  Tally  taught  the  first 
school  in  what  is  now  Mount  Vernon;  after  Tally  had  "tally-ed" 
out,  John  Baugh  taught  here;  then  Abner  Melcher  and  daughter 
Priscilla ;  and  then  John  Downer,  and  the  house  fell  in.  Miss  Rand 
taught  a  school  on  the  west  side  of  the  square.  Joshua  Grant, 
brother  of  A.  M.,  taught  in  the  Methodist  preacher's  house,  stand- 
ing next  to  the  old  church  on  Eleventh  street,  and  part  of  the  time 
was  occupied  in  keeping  the  snakes  out  of  the  room. 

At  length  the  educational  fever  took  a  new  phase ;  it  was  de- 
termined to  have  an  academy  and  Governor  Anderson  gave  the  site 
off  of  his  farm,  locating  the  new  school  house  on  Eighth  street,  just 
south  of  Jordan.     In  1 839  the  Legislature  incorporated  a  board  of 


136  wall's  history  of  JEFFEEISON  CO.,  ILL. 

trustees  composed  of  Zadok  Casey,  Stinson  H.  Anderson,  Joel 
Pace,  W.  S.  VanCleve,  E.  R.  Ridgway,  Downing  Baugh,  J.  W. 
Greetham  and  Angus  M.Grant.  A  building  committee  was  appointed 
and  the  furnishing  of  the  materials  and  putting  up  the  building  was 
awarded  to  John  H.  Watson  for  three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 
John  and  Asa  Watson  and  John  Leonard  built  the  house  and  the 
work  of  education  seemed  assured.  There  were  two  large  rooms — 
one  below  and  the  other  above,  a  stairway  on  the  north  with  a  small 
room  for  apparatus,  which  we  understand  was  furnished  by  Gover- 
nor Casey.  The  first  school  was  taught  by  Lewis  Dwight,  a  Yan- 
kee school  teacher  and  preacher.  His  assistant  was  a  Miss  Evans. 
While  teaching,  Dwight  married  Governor  Casey's  daughter, 
Mahala,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  Judge  Samuel  L.  Dwight, 
now  of  Centralia,  but  who  received  his  early  education  in  the  old 
academy.  Dwight  soon  after  died,  and  Joel  F.  Watson  taught  the 
next  term.  Then  came  Johnson  Pierson ;  Dr.  Beach  and  wife ;  Wal- 
bridge  and  sister;  W.  W.  Bennett;  T.  B.  Tanner;  William  H. 
Green,  Sr. ;  John  H.  Pace,  and  last,  but  not  least,  the  notorious  Bob 
Ingersoll  of  infidel  fame.  These  were  all  prominent  men  and  good 
teachers,  and  the  reputation  of  the  old  academy  was  known  far  and 
wide.  Many  of  the  pupils  of  this  old  Mount  Vernon  Academy  are 
now  on  the  other  side  of  the  divide,  but  some  of  them  had  risen  to  a 
degree  of  eminence  before  going  and  it  is  quite  proper  that  we  name 
a  few,  like  Governor  Casey's  boys — Drs.  Newton  and  John,  Col- 
onel and  Judge  Thomas  S. — all  were  called  to  fill  positions  of  honor 
and  trust;  Robert  F.  Wingate,  attorney  general  for  Missouri;  Col. 
L  N.  Haynie,  adjutant  general  and  colonel  in  the  war;  Lewis 
F.  Casey,  prominent  in  Illinois  and  Texas;  Joel  F.  Watson,  for 
many  years  County  Clerk;  James  M.  Pace,  School  Superintendent 
and  first  Mayor  of  Mount  Vernon ;  Dr.  A.  Clark  Johnson,  Jefferson 
county  historian;  Charles  T.  Pace,  that  thoroughly  Christian,  busi- 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  137 

ness  and  Sunday  school  man;  Dr.  W.  C.  Pace,  of  Ashley,  and 
brother,  N.  C,  who  was  captain  in  the  army  and  then  Mayor  of 
Mount  Vernon  for  several  terms;  Captain  and  Judge  Samuel  L. 
Dwight,  Centralia — Dr.  Pace  and  Judge  Dwight  being  the  only 
ones  of  these  now  living ;  others,  whose  names  we  do  not  now  recall ; 
and  last  and  least,  your  humble  servant,  the  writer,  who  considers  it 
fame  and  honor  enough  to  be  permitted  to  write  even  a  brief  account 
of  this  school  and  the  men  who  composed  it,  both  as  teachers  and 
scholars,  to  say  nothing  of  the  public-spirited  men  who  instituted  it. 
Inside  this  historic  house  the  writer  received  all  the  schooling  he  ever 
had,  about  six  months  in  all.  Being  a  "roust-about  and  boy  of  all 
work"  around  the  principal  hotel  of  the  town,  he  could  only  at- 
tend school  "between  times" — that  was  about  one  day  in  and  two 
days  out,  and  in  this  way  learning  a  little  and,  leaving  most  of  what 
he  ought  to  know  out,  he  graduated  from  his  alma  mater — the 
old  Mount  Vernon  Academy,  being  "excused"  whenever  he  was 
needed  at  the  hotel  or  whenever  farming  time  came.  Still  we  liked 
our  teachers  and  "our  neighbor  boys"  who  seemed  to  be  fixtures  in 
the  academy  and  memory  reverts  to  them  very  tenderly. 

Of  course  we  cannot  refer  to  the  old  building  as  one  of  old 
did  when  he  said : 

"The  same  old  bricks  are  in  the  wall. 

The  bell  swings  to  and  fro. 
Just  as  it  did  when  we  were  young 

Some  fifty  years  ago," 

for  the  old  school-house  has  long  since  disappeared.  It  was  never 
out  of  debt — was  attached  and  sold  in  1 854  to  Richard  and  Bar- 
zilla  Ragan  and  after  their  death  it  fell  into  the  hands  of  Mrs.  Roh- 
rer,  who  built  the  brick  house  that  now  stands  exactly  where  the  old 


138  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

academy  stood.    There  is  nothing  in  sight  to  remind  one  of  "school 
days" — those  good,  old  golden  rule  days. 

For  a  while  school  was  kept  almost  anywhere.  A  Presbyte- 
rian minister  put  up  a  house  just  west  of  Noah  Johnston's  and  tried 
to  run  a  private  school,  but  one  Sunday  morning  he  went  out  to  the 
pasture  to  catch  his  horse  to  ride  out  in  the  country  to  preach.  The 
horse  "felt  his  oats"  and  would  not  be  caught  and  the  preacher  went 
to  the  house,  got  his  gun  and  planted  a  load  of  buckshot  in  his  hide 
for  his  smartness.  The  shot  had  a  bad  effect — on  the  people — and 
soon  aiter,  the  reverend  quit  his  school,  quit  preaching  and  moved  on. 
In  1851-2,  H.  T.  Pace  built  a  school-house  in  the  grove  just  north 
of  Dr.  Plummer's  on  Tenth  street,  and  employed  Miss  Willard, 
who  afterwards  married  Rev.  John  Ingersoll  (Bob's  father),  to 
teach.  Mrs.  Chamberlain,  Mrs.  Hogue  and  Morton  Green  taught 
there  afterwards.  Martha  and  Sarah  Green — the  doctor's  sisters — 
taught  in  the  old  Methodist  church.  When  the  Methodist  church 
was  built,  the  three  rooms  below  were  for  school  purposes  and  in 
these  Rev.  J.  Leaton,  the  first  station  preacher,  opened  school  in 
1854.  Next  year  a  charter  was  granted  by  the  Legislature  to  Z. 
Casey,  J.  Leaton,  John  N.  Johnson,  John  H.  Watson,  Joel  F. 
Watson  and  Walter  B.  Scales,  who  with  three  others  to  be  se- 
lected by  the  Southern  Illinois  conference  were  to  be  trustees  of  the 
Mount  Vernon  Academy  (new).  Prof.  Leaton  was  principal  and 
remained  so  for  three  years.  After  him  came  A.  C.  Hillman,  John 
H.  Pace  and  C.  E.  Robinson  and  others  conducted  the  school  until 
it  quit — just  like  the  other  academy.  The  war  came  on  and  schools, 
like  other  businesses,  shut  up  shop  and  studied  war. 

After  the  war,  interest  revived  and  in  1 865  the  board  of  trus- 
tees consisted  of  S.  T.  Stratton,  Joel  F.  Watson,  C.  T.  Pace,  J.  S. 
Bogan,  W.  H.  Herdman,  Dr.  W.  D.  Green,  James  Lyon,  C.  D. 
Morrison  and  Thomas  H.  Hobbs.     They  secured  the  service  of 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  139 

Rev.  Thomas  H.  Herdman,  of  Ohio,  with  Miss  Carrie  Smith,  of 
Mattoon,   and  started  up  the  school  again.      Prof.   Herdman  re- 
mained four  years,  giving  good  satisfaction,  being  assisted  by  Miss 
Sellers  and  Miss  Anna  Waggoner,  who  was  afterwards  Mrs.  Gus 
Strattan.     In  1 866  the  project  of  building  a  school-house  became  a 
very  live  question,  and  resulted  in  securing  the  lot  where  the  Frank- 
lin school-house  now  stands  and  the  building  of  a  twelve  thousand 
dollar  school-house,  having  two  large  rooms  above  and  two  below. 
Mr.  Barbour  was  employed  to  teach  the  school.     He  had  an  alter- 
cation with  one  of  his  scholars,  got  cut,  and  quit;  E.  V.  Satten- 
field  filled  out  his  time,  then  G.  W.  Johnson,  Ryder,  Forbes,  Wil- 
son, Woodward,  Courtney,  Frohock,  Nichols,  Barnhart,  McCrea, 
Alvis  Reubelt,  VanCleve  and  Minor,  the  present  superintendent. 
When  the  house  was  finished,  the  classes  went  from  the  church 
to  it,  but  the  basement  of  the  Presbyterian  church  had  been  leased 
for  school  purposes  and  the  classes  taught  there  remained,  but  were 
finally  merged  into  the  public  school.     This  first  house  was  de- 
stroyed by  the  great  cyclone  that  struck  Mount  Vernon  in   1888, 
but  was  speedily  rebuilt  larger  and  better.     After  this  it  seemed  to 
be  no  trouble  to  get  favorable  votes  for  school-houses — in  fact,  the 
people  seem  ready  to  endorse  every  proposition  for  the  enlargement 
or  betterment  of  our  school  facilities.     Since  the  town  has  risen. 
Phoenix-like,  from  the  cyclone,  a  large  public  school-house  has  been 
erected  and  added  to,  on  the  west  side ;  another  on  the  south  side, 
and  has  been  voted  for  the  northwest  side,  somewhere  near  where 
the  original  schools  were  taught  by  Tally  and  others.      Nothing 
evokes  as  much  feeling  and  enthusiasm  as  our  school  election,  both 
as  to  the  location  of  houses  and  selection  of  superintendents  to  run 
the  schools,  which  shows  plainly  that  our  educational  interests  are 
certainly  not  lagging.     To  show  that  we  are  up  to  date,  it  is  only 
necessary  to  state  that  in  addition  to  the  above,  we  have  a  Mount 


140  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,  ILL. 

Vernon  township  high  school,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  all  the 
region  round  about,  with  Prof.  J.  M.  Dickson  in  charge  and  a  corps 
of  teachers  that  would  be  an  honor  to  any  first-class  institution  of 
learning.  This  school  receives  pupils  from  the  eight  grades  of  the  city 
schools  and  from  township  schools  as  well.  Nothing  in  the  history 
of  Mount  Vernon  and  Jefferson  county  promises  as  much  good  for 
the  city  and  county  as  does  this  township  high  school.  It  secures  to  the 
rising  generation  of  city  and  county,  a  better  and  higher  grade  of 
education  than  it  would  be  possible  for  the  majority  of  them  to  se- 
cure without  it.  It  is  refreshing  to  see  the  young  people  flocking  to 
the  school  and  Jefferson  county's  "higher  education  "  seems  assured 
by  its  being  operated  in  our  midst.  All  honor  to  the  people  of  Mount 
Vernon  township  who  voted  that  this  school  should  be. 

And  then,  we  also  have  a  school-house  and  competent  teachers 
for  the  colored  population.  Altogether  we  have  in  our  city  schools 
an  average  of  about  twenty-four  hundred.  The  school  buildings  of 
the  city  are  all  creditable  structures,  but  will  have  to  be  enlarged  to 
meet  the  requirements  of  the  heavy  increase  in  school  population,  the 
number  of  children  of  school  age  now  approximating  twenty-eight 
hundred,  requiring  the  services  of  a  superintendent,  three  principals 
and  a  corps  of  from  twenty-five  to  thirty-five  teachers.  Our  schools 
are  first-class  and  reaching  for  higher  standards.  In  addition  to  the 
large  number  of  pupils  in  the  home  district,  many  come  from  other 
parts  of  the  county  to  secure  the  advantages  of  the  high  school  train- 
ing as  a  preparation  for  business  or  teaching.  Many  of  our  grad- 
uates now  hold  positions  in  the  schools  of  Mount  Vernon  and  Jef- 
ferson county,  and  many  others  are  ornaments  to  the  homes  and  pro- 
fessional and  business  circles  of  our  own  and  other  cities. 

In  view  of  these  facts  we  think  we  are  justified  in  our  state- 
ment that  the  public  schools  are  by  far  the  most  important  of  Mount 
Vernon's  institutions  and  they  are  entitled  to  the  loyal  and  hearty 
support  of  every  progressive  citizen. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  141 

Then  in  the  township,  outside  of  Mount  Vernon,  we  have 
eight  other  school-houses  well  filled  with  the  rising  generation  who 
are  coming  on  to  take  the  places  of  men  and  women  now  on  the 
stage  of  action ;  all  well  equipped  with  good  teachers  and  necessary 
school  supplies. 

The  entire  school  interests  of  Jefferson  county  are  now  being 
cared  for  by  our  efficient,  painstaking  County  Superintendent  of 
schools,  Mr.  Arthur  E.  Summers,  who  has  the  interest  of  the  coun- 
ty and  the  schools  at  heart  and  who  leaves  nothing  undone  that  he 
sees  ought  to  be  done.  The  county  has  had  many  good  superin- 
tendents, but  none  more  efficient  and  faithful  than  the  present  in- 
cumbent. 

The  following  statistics  will  show  somewhat  of^  the  present 
status  of  education  in  our  county,  which  the  reader  can  compare  with 
the  beginning  of  our  school  interests  at  his  leisure : 

Number  of  children  in  county  under  twenty-one  years.  .  .  .  13,604 
Number  of  children  in  county  between  six  and  twenty-one 

years y,4UD 

Number  of  graded  schools I  ' 

Number  of  school-houses,  brick,  7;  frame,  135;  log,  0; .  .  .        142 
Number  of  children  attending  school — male,  4,767;  female. 

4,639;  total 9.406 

Number  of  teachers  employed — male,  87;    female,     114; 

total 201 

Fund  for  school  purposes,  all  sources $51,133.78 

Total  expenditure  for  schools 90,000.00 

As  supplementary  to  our  splendid  high  school  and  our  graded 
schools  of  the  county,  we  have  in  the  state  some  old  and  tried  col- 
leges and  universities  to  "finish  up"  the  work  so  well  begun,  the  uni- 


142  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

versities  at  Champaign  and  Carbondale  need  only  to  be  mentioned, 
and  the  Northwestern  at  Chicago ;  and  then  such  institutions  as  Mc- 
Kendree  at  Lebanon  and  many  Jefferson  county  boys  have  risen  to 
distinction  from  the  knowledge  they  gained  there ;  among  others,  the 
Illinois  College,  Shurtliff,  Knox  and  even  Ewing  College — all  im- 
portant factors  in  fitting  young  people  for  future  usefulness  and  suc- 
cess in  life — and  all  from  the  almost  insignificant  beginnings,  referred 
to  in  the  early  part  of  this  chapter.  Men,  boys,  women  and  girls, 
just  think  of  the  wonderful  opportunities  and  facilities,  which  you 
now  enjoy  for  education  and  advancement,  as  compared  with  what 
your  predecessors  enjoyed.  Will  you  not  show  yourselves  worthy 
successors  to  these  glorious  pioneers — these  "diamonds  in  the  rough" 
Christian  patriots? 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


CHURCH   HISTORY. 


Mount  Vernon,  the  Home  of  Methodism  first,  and  then  all  the 
other  Denominations.  The  groves  were  the  first  Temples.  First 
Preachers — Church  Progress,  etc.     Churches  in  the  Township. 

"The  rock  of  ages  standeth 

In  strength  and  beauty  fair, 
All  glorious  and  abiding. 

The  eternal  God  is  there!" 

"Our  lives  we  cut  on  a  curious  plan. 

Shaping  them  as  it  were  for  man. 
But  God,  with  better  art  then  we. 

Shapes  them  for  eternity." 

Any  county  or  community  that  shuts  its  doors  against  encour- 
aging church  or  religious  matters  or  organizations,  is  in  just  as  bad  a 
condition  as  the  individual  who  shuts  religious  ideas  and  aspirations 
out  of  his  or  her  heart.  No  state  or  county — especially  in  America 
— can  hope  to  live  and  thrive  and  be  great  without  fostering  and 
encouraging  religion  and  religious  efforts — not  sectarianism,  not 
creeds  merely,  but  religion  itself,  as  taught  by  the  Great  Founder 
of  the  church,  against  which  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail — in- 
cluding the  Ten  Commandments,  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  the 
Golden  Rule  and  the  Lord's  Prayer.     Church  organizations  and 


144  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

names  are  only  valuable  as  a  means  of  giving  the  neighborhoods 
meeting  houses  and  a  local  habitation  and  a  name.  The  Great 
Head  of  the  church  never  once  mentioned  the  Methodist,  the  Bap- 
tist, the  Presbyterian,  the  Catholic  or  any  other  church — except  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  and  though  we  may  have  our  names  on  the 
books  of  all  the  churches  and  do  not  have  our  heart's  affections  cen- 
tered on  the  Church  of  the  Lord  Christ,  we  need  not  hope  to  be 
saved.  No  matter  what  church  we  have  next  door  to  us,  or  have 
our  names  upon  its  books,  we  must  ourselves  be  right  before  God, 
or  we  are  only  as  the  "sounding  brass  and  tinkling  cymbals." 

Mount  Vernon  and  vicinity  was  largely  a  Methodistic  com- 
munity from  the  start — the  Caseys,  the  Maxeys  and  Johnsons  near- 
ly all  being  of  that  faith,  and  it  was  perfectly  natural  that  that  de- 
nomination should  have  the  first  societies  and  the  first  church  houses. 
In  1819,  Rev.  Thomas  Davis  was  sent  to  the  Wabash  and  Mount 
Carmel  work,  and  Old  Union  was  a  preaching  point,  and  the  peo- 
ple of  the  town  used  to  walk  out  there  to  preaching.  In  1822, 
Mount  Vernon  first  appears  upon  the  conference  record  and  Samuel 
Thompson  (for  whom  Capt.  Thompson  Maxey  was  named)  was 
presiding  elder  and  Revs.  Josiah  Petterson  and  Josiah  Smith  were 
sent  to  Wabash  and  Mount  Vernon ;  Smith  and  Riddle  came  a  year 
later;  William  Moore,  in  1824;  O.  Phillips  part  of  the  next  year 
and  John  T.  Johnson  (Leander's  father)  the  balance  of  the  time; 
Thomas  Files  came  in  1826.  First  we  were  in  the  Wabash  and 
then  in  the  Kaskaskia  district,  before  there  was  any  Mount  Vernon 
district.  The  following  preachers  then  followed  in  the  order  named, 
until  1 854,  when  Mount  Vernon  was  made  a  station ;  Thomas  Files, 
John  Fox,  John  H.  Benson,  Simeon  Walker,  James  Walker,  War- 
ren Jenkins,  Joshua  Barnes,  William  Mitchell,  David  Coulson,  J. 
M.  Massey,  John  Sheppard,  William  T.  William  (father  of  J.  D. 
and  W.  T.),  James  Dickens,  J.  I.  Richardson,  Allen  McCord,  R. 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  145 

Moffet,  Arthur  Bradshaw,  David  Blackwell,  John  Thatcher,  I.  G. 
Kimber,  John  H.  Hill,  J.  A.  Robinson,  Thomas  W.  Jones  and 
Norman  Allyn,  and  James  Leaton. 

In  1 834  it  was  decided  to  build  a  church,  the  first  in  the  town, 
but  Rev.  John  Johnson,  D.  Baugh  and  James  Ross  were  the  only 
town  members.  James  Gray  conveyed  the  lot,  where  the  old  church 
now  stands  (which  is  now  being  used  as  a  lumber  yard  office;  and, 
by  the  way,  the  only  building  of  its  day  now  standing),  to  John 
Johnson,  Thomas  M.  Casey,  Joel  Pace,  David  Hobbs,  Downing 
Baugh,  Joseph  Pace  and  James  Ross,  as  trustees.  This  house  was 
built  and  was  added  to  later.  Monthly  preaching  was  inaugurated. 
The  roof  was  of  clap-boards  and  soon  warped  so  as  to  let  in  the  rain 
and  snow.  In  1840  it  was  fixed  up^twelve  feet  added  to  its  length 
and  a  bell  presented  by  Governor  Casey  was  hung  in  the  belfry. 
This  bell  is  now  doing  service  at  the  United  Brethren  church  in 
South  Mount  Vernon.  Before  the  house  was  done,  the  old  court- 
house had  fallen  in  and  the  church  was  opened  for  a  political  dis- 
cussion between  John  A.  McClernand  and  Abraham  Lincoln.  Mc- 
Clernand  spoke  till  noon  and  the  court,  composed  of  Democrats, 
said  politics  must  give  way  to  court  and  Lincoln  was  denied  a  chance 
to  speak.  But  Mr.  Kirby  had  Lincoln  go  up  to  his  hotel  and  speak 
on  a  dry  goods  box  to  the  people.  The  church  being  the  only  one 
m  the  town,  was  used  for  many  meetings  besides  regular  services. 
But  as  the  population  increased,  other  Methodists  came  in  and  a  bet- 
ter house  was  needed.  A  deed  was  obtained  to  what  is  now  known 
as  the  Methodist  property,  and  a  large  two-story  house  was  erected 
in  the  center  of  the  lot,  in  1 854,  at  a  cost  of  nearly  five  thousand  dol- 
lars, and  in  1881  another  four  thousand  dollars  was  added  in  the 
way  of  improvements,  a  new  steeple,  new  furnishings,  more  room, 
etc.  The  first  year  of  its  erection  the  Southern  Illinois  conference, 
with  Bishop  Ames  presiding,  met  in  it,  and  Mount  Vernon  was 

10 


146  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO..  ILL. 

made  a  station,  with  eighty-eight  members.  John  H.  Hill  was 
presiding  elder  and  James  Leaton,  pastor,  but  as  his  salary  was  only 
about  two  hundred  dollars,  he  taught  school  in  the  basement  to 
"help  out."  The  official  members  and  class-leaders  were  then  Za- 
dok  Casey,  John  H.  Watson,  H.  Davidson,  Samuel  Schank,  Joel 
F.  Watson,  John  N.  Johnson,  Charles  T.  Pace,  Downing  Baugh. 
In  1858,  the  charge  went  back  to  the  circuit  and  was  not  again  a 
station  until  1865. 

THE  CHURCH   DESTROYED  BY  CYCLONE. 

In  February,  1 888,  this  church  was  leveled  to  the  ground  by 
the  terrible  cyclone  which  struck  and  destroyed  more  than  half  of 
the  town,  on  that  fatal  Sunday,  February  19th.  Meetings  were 
then  held  in  "McBride's  Chapel,"  a  little  room  on  North  Twelfth 
street,  until  the  present  church  edifice  (the  largest  and  best  in  town) 
was  completed.  The  charge  now  has  about  six  hundred  members. 
The  station  preachers  have  been :  James  Leaton,  Norman  Allyn, 
Ephraim  Joy,  T.  A.  Eaton,  R.  H.  Manier,  M.  House,  G.  W. 
Hughey,  J.  H.  Lieper,  Joseph  Harris,  D.  W.  Phillips,  N.  Hawley, 

C.  E.  Cline,  C.  Nash,  John  W.  Locke,  W.  F.  Davis,  J.  H.  Thomp- 
son, Joseph  W.  VanCleve,  J.  F.  Harmon,  J.  W.  Taylor  and  C. 

D.  Shumard,  the  present  efficient  pastor. 

During  the  intervening  years,  the  annual  conferences  of  South- 
ern Illinois  Methodists  have  been  held  in  Mount  Vernon,  much  to 
the  edification  of  our  people,  whose  latch-strings  are  always  on  the 
outside  for  religious  bodies,  and  to  the  gratification  of  the  preachers 
and  lay  delegations.  At  some  of  these  gatherings  hundreds  of  vis- 
itors have  been  entertained  for  a  week  at  a  time  in  the  hospitable 
manner  so  characteristic  of  Methodistic  Mount  Vernon.  Such 
noted  ministers  as  Bishop  Ames,  Simpson,  Peck,  Thompson,  Wal- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  147 

den,  and  other  big  preachers,  and  singers,  and  workers  have  been  our 
guests  and  our  entertainers.  The  present  splendid  church  building 
was  dedicated  by  Bishop  Bowman  in  1889 — a  year  after  the  old 
church  was  destroyed.  In  this  church  we  have  always  had  good 
preachers  and  workers,  some  of  them  extraordinarily  so,  but  we  can- 
not here  individualize.  Suffice  is  to  say,  that  Mount  Vernon  is  still 
the  home  of  Methodism,  and  a  real  good  home  it  is.  The  church 
is  now  supplied  with  all  the  necessary  rooms  and  has  a  fine  pipe- 
organ  and  a  good  choir,  besides  all  the  other  machinery  of  the  church 
in  good  working  order.  A  commodious  and  comfortable  parson- 
age stands  on  the  same  lot  with  the  church  edifice. 

The  Methodist  population  became  too  numerous  to  be  cared 
for  by  the  First  church  and  the  town  having  meantime  spread  itself 
in  every  direction,  steps  were  taken  to  build  other  houses  of  wor- 
ship and  now  we  have  three  nicely  furnished  Methodist  churches, 
one  in  South  Mount  Vernon  and  in  East  Mount  Vernon  and  a  good 
prospect  of  one  in  West  Mount  Vernon,  all  supplied  with  good  pas- 
tors, and  an  aggregate  membership  of  perhaps  fifteen  hundred.  Then 
we  also  have  a  Free  Methodist  and  Colored  Methodist  church. 

THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH 

was  first  organized  in  Mount  Vernon  with  ten  members  and  two 
elders,  in  1841,  by  B.  F.  Spillman,  and  the  church  was  served  by 
Ewing  Blackburn,  Lefler  and  others,  and  finally  the  members  trans- 
ferred their  membership  to  Gilead,  at  Rome.  But  the  Alton  Pres- 
bytery came  later  and  organized  a  society  composed  of  Warner 
and  Eliza  White,  John  S.  and  Louisa  Bogan,  George  and  Hannah 
Mills,  John  C.  and  Juliana  Gray,  Sarah  A.  Tanner  and  W.  D. 
Johnson.  The  pastors  have  been:  Revs.  Samuel  Wylie,  W.  H. 
Bird,  H.  Patrick,  Chades  Kenmore,  R.  G.  Williams,  John  Gib- 


148  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

son,  G.  C.  Clark,  Adam  C.  Johnson  (the  Jefferson  county  histo- 
rian), M.  M.  Cooper,  G.  B.  McComb,  J.  J.  Graham,  Eban  Muse, 
E.  P.  Lewis,  H.  B.  Douglass,  Yates,  Turner  and  others. 

The  basement  of  the  old  Odd  Fellows  hall  was  used  by  them 
until  1857,  when  the  Presbyterian  church  near  the  Louisville  & 
Nashville  depot  was  finished.  At  the  beginning  of  the  present  cen- 
tury the  Cumberland  and  the  General  Presbyterian  churches  were 
merged  and  the  Mount  Vernon  Presbyterians  united  in  fellowship 
and  church  services  in  their  new  church  on  North  Tenth  street — 
the  most  centrally  located  church  in  town.  They  now  have  a  good 
pastor.  Rev.  E.  B.  Surface,  and  a  large  and  growing  membership. 
The  Presbyterians  have  come  to  stay,  and  everybody  welcomes 
them.  The  colored  Presbyterians  have  a  church  and  pastor  in 
South  Mount  Vernon. 

BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

The  First  Baptist  church  of  Mount  Vernon  was  organized 
in  1 868,  although  there  were  Baptists  in  Mount  Vernon  all  through 
these  years.  The  early  preachers  at  the  First  church  were:  J.  W. 
Brooks.  J.  S.  Mahan,  D.  W.  Morgan,  M.  Wilson,  Sanford  Gee. 
Cal  Allen,  Charles  Davis.  W.  W.  Hay,  W.  B.  Vassor,  and  Mr. 
Midkiff,  who  was  the  pastor  when  the  cyclone  destroyed  the  church 
building  in  1888.  The  present  commodious  church  was  built  in 
1889  and  W.  P.  Throgmorton  installed  as  pastor.  Following  him 
came:  Revs.  J.  D.  Hooker,  W.  P.  Hoster.  J.  Carroll  Harriss,  J. 
P.  Langly,  Dr.  McCall,  — Theile,  J.  A.  Todd,  and  W.  A.  Dor- 
gan,  present  pastor.  The  church  has  been  connected  with  the  Sa- 
lem Association  and  of  late  years  is  doing  good  work,  while  its 
usefulness  and  membership  is  constantly  on  the  increase.  Its  present 
pastor.  Rev.  Dorgan.  from  Kentucky,  is  one  of  the  most  eloquent 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  149 

and  instructive  ministers  we  have  in  this  section.  The  Second  Bap- 
tist church  has  been  erected  in  South  Mount  Vernon  and  has  a  good 
membership  and  a  regular  pastor.  Also,  the  Baptists  have  a  Mission 
church  in  North  Mount  Vernon.  There  are  also  two  colored  Bap- 
tist churches  in  town  and  the  Baptists  are  at  the  front  in  all  the 
forward  movements  in  moral  and  religious  improvements. 

UNITED   BRETHREN   CHURCH. 

On  South  Tenth  street,  near  the  Second  Methodist  church, 
stands  the  United  Brethren  church,  a  denomination  not  very  com- 
mon in  these  parts.  Their  creed  and  mode  of  worship  is  not  very 
different  from  the  Methodists — especially  in  the  matter  of  revivals, 
class-meetings,  etc.  They  have  had  several  good  pastors,  whose 
names  we  have  been  unable  to  secure.  Like  all  the  other  churches, 
they  have  a  flourishing  Sunday  school  and  young  people's  meet- 
ings and  like  most  of  the  others,  also  are  always  ready  for  union 
efforts  in  trying  to  influence  the  community  to  "join  in  with  the 
overtures  of  offered  mercy." 

THE   CHRISTIAN    (OR  CAMPBELLITE)    CHURCH 

was  organized  away  back  in  the  fifties  when  Harvey  T.  Pace  and 
wife  were  its  pillars.  Its  present  edifice  was  built  about  cyclone 
times,  and  the  organization  has  had  many  good  pastors  and  is  con- 
stantly increasing  its  membership  and  usefulness.  Among  its  work- 
ers are  some  of  the  descendants  of  the  oldest  inhabitants,  notably 
Mrs.  Dr.  Plummer,  daughter  of  Uncle  Harvey  T.  and  Aunt  Nancy 
Pace.     Rev.  Francis  is  now  pastor. 

THE   UNIVERSALIST  CHURCH, 

whose  platform  catches  us  when  all  the  others  fail,  has  a  neat  edi- 
fice, good  congregation  and  a  splendid  pastor,  Rev.  Fosher.     Its 


150  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

building  stands  on  the  corner  of  Jordan  and  Eleventh  streets,  where 
over  fifty  years  ago  we  went  "sparking" — for  one  night  only — she 
intimated  that  the  "other  fellow"  would  occupy  the  remainder  of 
the  time. 

THE  CATHOLIC  CHURCH 

was  slow  to  get  a  foothold  in  Mount  Vernon  and  not  until  Mrs. 
Thomas  S.  Casey  came  from  Springfield  and  joined  with  Mr.  Ma- 
loney  and  others,  was  there  any  attempt  to  build  a  church.  The 
present  building  and  parsonage  sprung  into  being  through  their 
efforts.  In  1 872,  Bishop  Baltes,  and  vice-general  Jansen,  together 
with  M.  Wood,  were  appointed  trustees  of  "St.  Philip  Neri's  Ro- 
man Catholic  church  at  Mount  Vernon."  But  not  until  1880  did 
they  hold  services  in  their  church,  near  the  Supreme  Court  house. 
The  house  cost  about  two  thousand  dollars  and  many  outside  citi- 
zens contributed  to  its  erection.  Several  "Fathers,"  whose  names 
we  have  not,  have  had  charge  of  the  congregation,  and  regular  ser- 
vices are  held  there  as  a  rule. 

EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

Bishop  Seymour,  of  Springfield,  spent  his  last  days  hunting 
up  the  "scattered  sheep"  in  Southern  Illinois.  Among  other  places, 
he  came  to  Mount  Vernon  and  organized  a  church  in  1878,  with 
the  assistance  of  H.  W.  Preston,  William  Pilcher,  H.  H.  Simmons, 
T.  T.  Wilson  and  others,  and  services  were  held  at  various  places 
until  finally  the  original  Methodist  church  building  was  secured. 
After  Mr.  Moody,  came  Rev.  I.  N.  Irvine,  a  man  full  of  zeal  and 
energy,  serving  both  at  Mount  Vernon  and  McLeansboro.  Fol- 
lowing Mr.  Irvine,  came  Rev.  E.  B.  Hoyt,  whose  monument  stands 
in  Oakwood  cemetery.     Since  the  "old  church"  has  been  absorbed 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  151 

by  the  lumber  yard,  the  congregation  has  been  worshipping  in  the 
old  Presbyterian  church.  But  they  are  building  a  nice  church  on 
Eleventh  street  (the  very  spot  where  the  writer,  fifty  years  ago, 
was  wedded  to  Miss  Milly  Watson).  The  Episcopal  congregation 
is  not  very  large,  but  is  composed  of  some  of  our  very  best  people 
and  is  doing  good.  TTie  rector.  Rev.  Purse,  has  charge  of  the  Mc- 
Leansboro  congregation  also. 

East  Mount  Vernon  for  several  years  had  a  church  building 
that  was  occupied  by  all  comers,  especially  by  the  Southern  Metho- 
dists and  the  Dunkards.  After  it  disappeared,  the  Epworth  Meth- 
odist building  sprung  up  to  fill  the  "long  felt  want"  of  East  Mount 
Vernon,  the  Epworth  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

A  "regular"  Baptist  church,  one  of  the  old  kind,  where  "foot- 
washing"  is  part  of  the  service,  is  in  operation  in  South  Mount  Ver- 
non, with  a  regular  minister.  And  then  we  have  with  us  what  some 
please  to  term  the  "Sanctified  crew,"  claiming  to  be  the  real  fol- 
lowers of  John  Wesley;  also  the  Salvation  Army,  who  sing,  pray 
and  preach  in  the  streets  both — evidently  doing  much  good.  Often 
we  have  services  in  the  court-house  by  outside  people,  and  taken 
altogether.  Mount  Vernon  certainly  keeps  pace  with  any  and  all 
other  towns  in  building  churches,  and  in  religious  matters  generally. 

In  addition  to  these  Mount  Vernon  churches  there  are  sev- 
eral out  in  the  township  which  may  be  briefly  referred  to: 

FIRST  THE  CAMP  GROUND  CHURCH.  A  log  house  at  first 
and  camp  meetings  used  to  be  held  close  by.  Then  a  better  house, 
and  also  another  later.  It  took  in  nearly  all  the  people  in  the  east- 
ern part  of  the  township  for  many  years.  It,  like  the  rest,  has  a 
history,  but  our  space  forbids  the  details  of  these  scattered  churches, 
or  of  the  town  churches  either,  as  to  that  matter.  The  Old  Camp 
Ground  has  been  a  noted  preaching  place  for  lo,  these  many  years, 
and  ministers  of  all  creeds  have  labored  there  for  the  upbuilding  of 
the  Lord's  work — saying  very  little  about  their  creeds. 


152  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

AT  LIBERTY.  The  Methodists  at  Liberty  were  organized  in 
1 85 1 ,  by  Rev.  John  Thatcher,  who  is  still  remembered  for  his  pe- 
culiarities. It  consisted  of  the  Waites,  Wilkersons,  Hails  and  a  few 
others.  Notwithstanding  many  drawbacks.  Liberty  has  always 
managed  to  keep  up  with  the  religious  procession,  for  which  the 
people  there  deserve  credit. 

SALEM  BAPTIST  CHURCH,  in  the  Harlow  settlement,  six 
miles  northeast  of  town,  was  organized  by  James  Keele,  Bird  War- 
ren, R.  A.  Grant,  Robert  Harlow  and  others,  in  1856,  and  for 
years  services  were  held  in  the  Seven  Mile  school-house.  A  few 
years  ago  a  fine  large  church  house  was  erected,  which  is  often 
filled  with  devout  worshippers,  mostly  of  the  Baptist  faith  and  order. 
One  of  the  best  county  Sunday  school  conventions  we  ever  attend-i 
ed  was  held  in  this  house. 

There  are  a  few  old  inhabitants  who  remember  what  big  meet- 
ings we  used  to  have  at  Old  Union — how  under  the  old  tabernacle 
the  people  used  to  get  happy  in  bunches  and  what  plam,  practical 
gospel  was  dealt  out  there.  This  point  is  now  in  another  township, 
but  it  was  then  considered  part  and  parcel  of  Mount  Vernon  and 
that  is  why  we  speak  of  it  in  this  chapter.  Many  years  ago  it  ceased 
to  be  a  preaching  place  and  since  the  establishment  of  Oakwood 
cemetery,  it  has  largely  ceased  to  be  a  burying  place,  until  now  it  is 
being  revived  as  such. 

Pleasant  Grove,  the  home  of  "Uncle  Tommy"  Casey,  was 
another  church,  popular  with  our  Mount  Vernon  people  and  many 
big  preachers"  have  held  forth  there.  In  the  "city  of  the  dead" 
there  sleeps  the  dust  of  most  of  the  old  Maxeys,  Caseys,  Johnsons, 
Bullocks,  and  others  who  were  prominent  in  their  day.  And 
about  three  miles  east  of  that  is  Hopewell,  another  land  mark  in 
religious  matters  and  another  burying  place  for  pioneers.  All  these 
places  deserve  more  notice  than  we  can  possibly  give  them.     But 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  153 

the  projectors  of  these  houses  of  worship  and  these  cemeteries,  "be- 
ing dead,  yet  speaketh."  Let  us  Hsten  to  their  words  of  wisdom. 
We  need  but  go  to  these  cemeteries  to  get  the  sequel  to  the 
work  performed  in  these  churches — in  other  words  to  catch  the 
silent  echoes  from  the  spirit-world.  In  these  cities  of  the  dead  re- 
pose the  ashes  of  the  noble  spirits  of  whom  we  have  been  vvriting, 
the  pioneers  of  Jefferson  county.  But  we  do  not  go  there  to  hear 
from  them,  or  to  see  them,  for  they  are  not  there.  No,  when  we 
think  of  our  dear  departed  ones,  we  do  not  think  of  them  as  in  the 
grave  or  grave-yard.  We  take  their  lifeless  bodies  there  and  bury 
them  from  our  sight,  but  their  real  selves,  never.  No,  no  no!  Our 
dear,  departed  life-partner  is  not  in  the  "city  of  the  dead,"  but  in 
the  city  of  the  living  God,  which  human  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor 
ear  heard ;  neither  hath  it  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive 
of  its  wondrous  beauty  or  the  everlasting  joy  of  its  inhabitants. 
Strew  your  flowers  on  the  sleeping  dust  of  your  beloved  ones  in 
the  grave,  but  never,  never  think  of  them  being  there.  The  casket 
is  there,  but  the  jewel  is  gone. 

"There  is  no  death,  these  stars  go  down 

To  rise  upon  a  fairer  shore. 
And  bright  in  heaven's  jeweled  crown 

They'll  shine  for  ever  more." 

The  dead  body  can  care  for  itself  in  the  city  of  the  dead;  let 
us  wisely  seek  our  friends  in  the  "city  of  the  living  God.  " 


CHAPTER  XV. 

TEMPERANCE  WORK   IN    MOUNT  VERNON. 

All  Her  Prominent  Citizens  Engaged  in  the  Work — Especi- 
ally the  Women  Folks — Benevolent  Organizations. 

"Keeping  the  line  of  duty 

Through  good  and  evil   report. 
They  shall  ride  the  storms  out  safely, 

Be  the  passage  long  or  short; 
For  the  ship  that  carries  God's  orders 

Shall  anchor  at  last  in  port." 

The  temperance  cause  engrossed  the  attention  of  our  early  set- 
tlers, members  of  all  the  churches  and  many  outsiders — especially 
the  female  portion,  which  is  always  right  on  the  temperance  ques- 
tion. It  is  and  always  has  been  the  opinion  of  the  writer  that  the 
women  ought  to  have  a  vote  on  the  local  option  temperance  ques- 
tion, for  they  are  always  more  disturbed  by  the  liquor  traffic  than 
the  sterner  sex  can  possibly  be — in  fact,  they  are  the  chief  sufferers 
from  the  baneful  effects  of  the  dastardly  stuff,  either  licensed  or  un- 
licensed, and  they  ought  to  have  at  least  an  equal  voice  with  the 
distillers,  brewers  and  saloon  keepers  in  saying  whether  it  shall  rule 
or  ruin. 

The  first  temperance  organization  in  Jefferson  county  was  the 
"Mount  Vernon  Temperance  Society,"  formed  in  1832,  which 
showed  how  the  early  settlers  felt  on  the  subject.     The  first  pledge 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  155 

was  like  this:  "We,  the  members  of  this  society,  mutually  agree  to 
abstain  from  the  use  of  ardent  spirits,  and  use  our  influence  in  every 
mild  and  prudent  way  with  others  for  the  same  purpose."  John 
Baugh  was  president  and  Samuel  Goodrich  vice-president;  Joel 
Pace  secretary.  As  nearly  the  whole  outfit  was  kin  to  many  of  the 
people  now  living  we  think  not  inappropriate  to  give  at  least  some 
of  their  names  as  connected  with  this  important  subject :  Abraham 
T.  Casey,  Samuel  Cummins,  William  Criswell,  Zadok  Casey, 
Abraham  Knapp,  Lewis  Johnson,  Joseph  Pace,  Edward  and  John 
Maxey,  John  Milburn,  James  Overbay,  Abe  Buffington,  Ed  King, 
Bennett  Maxey,  Thomas  M.  Casey,  Sam  Goodrich,  Dave  Little, 
John  Parker,  Jonathan  Wells,  Rhodan  Allen,  John  C.  Casey, 
James  Brown,  Nathaniel  Parker,  Henry  Goodrich,  John  Scott,  D. 
Baugh,  Elihu  Maxey,  Lloyd  Buffington,  William  Maxey,  S.  W. 
Carpenter,  Goodman  Elkins,  J.  G.  D.,  W.  M.  A.,  H.  B.  and 
Eddy  Maxey,  Green  Wells,  Azariah  Bruce,  W.  F.  Johnson.  Reu- 
ben Crosno,  John  and  Russell  Tyler,  Jarvis  Pierce,  John  M.  Pace, 
Ransom  Moss,  William  Bangamon,  E.  H.  Ridgway,  Joel  Harlow, 
Green  Depriest,  William  Hicks,  Gasaway  Elkins,  Robert  Year- 
wood,  H.  T.  Pace  and,  in  fact,  nearly  the  whole  male  population 
of  the  county.  Besides,  here  is  the  first  place  since  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  county  where  women  were  permitted  to  assert  them- 
selves, and  as  the  list  comprises  the  mothers  and  grandmothers  of 
our  present  generation,  we  cannot  refrain  from  giving  it : 

mother's  list. 

Polly  Baugh,  Margaret  Jane  and  Susan  Buffington,  Ann, 
Martha,  Margaret  and  Caroline  Anderson,  Parmelia  Pace,  Sof- 
ronia  Scott,  Jerusha  Wells,  Kesiah,  Sarah  and  Cynthia  Scott,  May 
Knapp,  Rebecca  Wilkerson,  May  Atwood,  Phoebe  Pace,  Patsy 


156  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

Maranda,  Calender,  Elgeilina,  Armilda  and  Mary  Goodrich, 
Milly  Baugh,  Mary  Pace,  Sarah  Tyler,  Hannah  Taylor,  Sarah 
Maxwell,  Delia  Hunt,  Polly  Maxey,  Vylinda  and  EHzabeth 
Casey,  Harriet  Casey,  Rhoda  Overbay,  Catherine  Tyler,  Patsy 
Bruce,  Lucinda  Allen,  Polly  and  Rachael  Crosno,  Millie  Carpenter, 
Patsy,  Emily,  Elizabeth,  Johnson,  Clarissa  Johnson,  Elizabeth 
Wells,  Lucinda  Overbay,  Elizabeth  Baugh,  Sarah  Maxey,  Emily 
Baugh,  Nancy  Pace.  Quite  a  number  of  other  "dear  mothers  and 
sisters"  signed  the  pledge  later  at  a  meeting,  which  was  addressed 
by  Zadok  Casey.  Rev.  John  Johnson  came  in  1834  and  took  an 
active  part  in  the  temperance  work.  Elder  VanCleve  came  in  and 
helped.  This  society  kept  up  till  1840,  when  another,  engineered 
by  Judge  Scates,  H.  T.  Pace,  James  Kirby  and  others  and  Wil- 
liam J.  Stephenson,  John  Johnson,  James  Kirby,  Joel  F.  Watson, 
J.  R.  Satterfield  were  moving  spirits  in  it.  They  imported  many 
good  speakers  like  Johnson  Pierson,  S.  D.  Marshall,  John  Moore, 
S.  S.  Hayes,  John  Dougherty,  Dr.  Roe,  R.  F.  Wingate  and  others, 
who  helped  boom  the  cause.  This  society  took  charge  of  the  4th 
of  July  celebration,  1843,  and  James  M.  Pace,  Wesley  Johnson, 
C.  T.  Pace  and  Thomas  S.  Casey,  all  students  at  the  old  Mount 
Vernon  Academy,  were  the  orators~they  believed  in  "home  talent" 
in  those  days.  In  1855,  through  the  influence  of  Judge  Scates  and 
James  Leaton,  a  division  of  the  Sons  of  Temperance  and  also  a 
Lodge  of  Cadets  of  Temperance  were  organized.  We  remember 
taking  the  Cadets'  pledge,  which  made  us  abstain  both  from  the  use 
of  whiskey  and  tobacco,  and  it  is  one  of  the  most  pleasant  reflect- 
ions of  our  later  life  that  we  have  kept  the  pledge.  After  while  the 
Sons  of  Temperance  was  merged  into  the  order  of  Good  Templars, 
but  a  division  arose,  a  new  division  of  the  Sons  of  Temperance  was 
started  and  the  result  was  both  orders  suffered.  The  next  temper- 
ance   revival    was  in  1878-9.      Colonel    Campbell,  Rev.  G.  W. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  157 

Hughey  and  Miss  Frances  E.  Willard  elocuted  and  nearly  every- 
body donned  the  blue  ribbon — and  went  temperate  whether  they 
quit  drinking  or  not.     At  this  time  the  Ladies'  Christian  Temper- 
ance Union  was  formed  by  Miss  Willard  and  Mrs.  Anderson  (the 
same  organization  which  is  at  the  front  yet).     The  first  president 
was  Mrs.  Sarah  A.  Gray;  vice-president,  Mrs.  Sue  Pace,  and  Mrs. 
Louisa  Bogan,  secretary,  Mrs.  Mary  S.  Pace;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Mar- 
garet A.  Johnson.     This  organization  takes  more  of  the  form  of  an 
educational  institution  and  is  still  vigorously  at  work,  being  the  very 
best  backing  the  temperance  cause  has  in  all  the  land.     They  dis- 
tribute temperance  documents,  hold  jubilees  and  are  granted  space 
in  their  county  papers  to  give  something  sound  and  sensible  each 
week  for  the  cause.     The  little  white  ribbon  we  see  on  so  many  of 
the  real  temperance  people — the  fair  sex — tells  us  who   are  the 
workers  in  the  Women's  Christian  Temperance  Union.     Although 
denied  the  privilege  of  voting,  still  they  are  a  potent  force  in  the 
great  cause,  and  in  the  final  triumph,  when  temperance  everywhere 
prevails,  it  will  be  truthfully  said  of  these  noble  women,  "they  did 
what  they  could,"  and  that  is  all  that  even  an  angel  can  do.     As 
a  still  further  tribute  to  the  ladies  we  may  mention  that  when  the 
city  fathers  agreed  to  license  saloons  for  one  thousand  dollars  cash, 
if  the  majority  of  all  persons  of  twenty-one  years  said  so,  the  women 
voted  and  said  "no,"  by  a  vote  of  five  hundred  and  thirty  and  they 
were  rewarded  by  ten  years'  temperance  rule  in  Mount  Vernon,  at 
the  end  of  which  time,  by  the  aid  of  St.  Louis,  Belleville  and  East 
Mount  Vernon,  the  whiskey  element  prevailed  and  elected  a  Mayor 
and  whiskey  council.     It  is  due  to  our  people  to  say  that  only  about 
ten  per  cent,  of  the  whiskey  vote  at  this  election  were  actual  resi- 
dents of  Mount  Vernon,  who  had  at  heart  the  real  welfare  of  the 
town.     Nine-tenths  of  the  real  citizens  were  anti-license  and  seeing 
the  increase  of  drunkenness  after  the  election,  made  them  more  so. 


158  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL, 

The  "whiskeyites"  of  Mount  Vernon,  finding  themselves 
balked  in  the  license  business,  set  themselves  to  work  to  incorporate 
the  village  of  East  Mount  Vernon,  so  as  to  put  up  licensed  saloons 
there.  Of  course  there  was  no  thought  of  the  advantages  of  better 
government  on  the  part  of  those  who  had  charge  of  the  new  village, 
and  it  would  have  been  a  part  of  Mount  Vernon  in  a  short  time, 
anyway.  The  petition  was  signed  by  thirty  persons.  The  village 
was  eighty  rods  wide  by  a  mile  long,  skirting  the  eastern  limits  of 
the  city  and  most  of  the  inhabitants  were  known  to  be  license  peo- 
ple. An  election  was  ordered  and  resulted  in  twenty-six  votes  for 
village  organization  to  one  against.  But  it  was  evident  that  the 
whole  proceedings  were  illegal,  but  a  board  of  trustees  were  chosen 
and  thirty  ordinances  were  adopted.  But  the  saloons  produced 
their  legitimate  fruit — the  order  in  the  village  grew  from  bad  to 
worse  until  the  good  people  would  stand  it  no  longer  and  they  went 
into  court  to  show  up  the  illegality  of  the  whole  thing.  At  the 
December  term  of  court,  a  judgment  of  ouster  was  obtained  and  an 
appeal  granted.  The  grounds  for  ouster  were  that  the  village  never 
had  the  three  hundred  inhabitants  required  by  law  and  the  whole 
thing  finally  fell  through.  But  the  fall  of  East  Mount  Vernon 
brought  all  the  whiskey  forces  to  our  next  city  election  and  helped 
carry  their  ticket  through.  There  never  was  a  time  when  the  major- 
ity of  the  real  citizens  of  Mount  Vernon  were  not  opposed  to  the 
traffic,  but  solely  for  financial  reasons,  a  few  church  members  al- 
ways favored  the  license,  in  one  way  or  another  and  even  when  the 
vote  was  squarely  against  them,  the  "whiskeyites,"  who  were  harm- 
less as  doves  and  wise  as  serpents,  were  ready  with  some  scheme 
to  license  the  curse,  or  if  that  failed,  would  institute  "blind  tigers" 
and  openly  violate  the  law  in  order  to  bring  no-license  into  disre- 
pute. We  have  in  mind  now  where  a  mayor  promised  a  mass  meet- 
ing of  citizens  that  he  would,  if  elected,  do  whatever  the  voters  told 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  159 

him  to  do  in  the  hcense  question.  They  told  him  "no  hcense"  by 
a  decisive  vote,  but  he  gave  the  casting  vote  for  hcense  within  a 
month  after.  Also,  where  a  City  Attorney  took  pay  from  the  city 
to  draft  a  local  option  ordinance  and  in  court  a  few  weeks  later,  as 
the  attorney  for  the  whiskey  vendor,  pleaded  that  the  ordinance 
was  not  worth  the  paper  on  which  it  was  written- — all  in  the  interest 
of  the  license  business,  plainly  showing  that  the  traffic  has  no  regard 
for  either  promises  or  law — except  to  evade  or  stultify  it.  So  mat- 
ters went  on,  sometimes  with  license  and  sometimes  with  blind  tigers 
— until  four  years  ago,  the  present  Mayor,  William  B.  Williams, 
came  into  office  and  announced  that  according  to  the  vote  of  the 
people.  Mount  Vernon  would  have  neither  license  nor  blind  tigers, 
and  he,  together  with  officers  like  himself,  have  carried  out  the  ex- 
pressed wish  of  the  people,  as  nearly  as  possible — at  least  ninety 
per  cent,  closer  than  any  previous  admmistration.  All  this  plainly 
showed  that  officers  fail  only  because  they  were  afraid  of  offending 
some  customer,  or  losing  some  votes  should  they  happen  to  run  for 
office — or  it  may  be,  some  were  weak-kneed  on  general  principles. 
These  men  are  generally  the  ones  who  boast  that  they  can  drink  or 
let  it  alone,  but  seldom  let  it  alone  when  it  is  on  tap.  They  seem 
to  forget  that  the  strong-minded  man  is  the  one  that  lets  it  severely 
alone. 

The  contest  between  the  temperance  folks  and  the  liquor  traffic 
in  Mount  Vernon  has  been  duplicated  in  the  other  towns  of  the 
county,  and  the  same  methods  used  to  override  the  voice  of  the  peo- 
ple— just  as  everywhere  else;  and  what  we  say  of  Mount  Vernon 
will  apply  with  about  equal  force  to  Dix,  Woodlawn,  Walton- 
ville,  Ina,  Bonnie,  Belle  Rive,  Opdyke  and  Bluford. 

For  four  years  Jefferson  county  has  been  without  saloons  and 
find  it  is  better  for  all  parties  that  it  remain  so.  And  it  will  remain 
so,  if  we  do  all  the  good  we  can,  in  all  the  ways  we  can,  and  to  all 
the  people  we  can,  and 


160  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

"So  live  that  when  thy  summons  comes  to  join 
The  innumerable  caravan,  that  moves 
To  the  pale  realms  of  shade,  where  each  shall  take 
His  chamber  in  the  silent  halls  of  death. 
Thou  go  not,  like  the  quarry  slave  at  night 
Scourged  to  his  dungeon;  but  sustained  and  soothed 
By  an  unfaltering  trust,  approach  thy  grave. 
Like  one  who  wraps  the  drapery  of  his  couch 
About  him,  and  lies  down  to  pleasant  dreams." 

BENEVOLENT  ORDERS. 

When  the  curtains  of  the  night  are  pinned  back  by  the  stars 
and  the  beautiful  moon  leaps  to  the  sky,  we  find  that  we  have  be- 
nevolent orders  and  lodges  galore,  not  only  in  Mount  Vernon,  but 
in  Woodlawn,  Dix,  Belle  Rive,  Opdyke,  Ina,  Bonnie,  Walton- 
ville — in  fact,  it  almost  looks  like  we  were  lodge-ridden.  Mount 
Vernon  Lodge,  No.  3 1 ,  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  was  organ- 
ized here  in  1845,  and  among  the  charter  members  were:  W.  A. 
Thomas,  W.  W.  Bennett  and  W.  H.  Short,  who  were  the  first 
officers.  This  order  has  steadily  held  its  own  during  all  these  years. 
Its  hall  is  now  over  the  opera  house,  in  connection  with  the  Knights 
of  Pythias,  Hubbard  Chapter,  No.  1 60,  which  is  also  in  a  flourish- 
ing condition,  also  a  chapter  of  the  Eastern  Star. 

Marion  Lodge,  No.  13,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
was  organized  in  the  same  year,  1845.  Its  charter  members  were: 
John  W.  Greetham,  James  B.  Tolle,  Thomas  Metzler.  William 
White,  Henry  Wood,  W.  Duff.  Green  came  the  next  year  and  gave 
the  order  a  boost.  Dr.  Green  was  a  good  Odd  Fellow,  but  a  more 
faithful  worker  in  the  ranks  than  James  B.  Tolle  never  rode  the 
goat.     Dr.  Green  rose  to  be  presiding  officer  of  the  state  and  was 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  161 

often  a  delegate  to  the  Grand  Lodge.  Herdman,  Gibson,  Baltzel 
and  others  soon  came  and  Marion  Lodge  today  remembers  them  all 
as  faithful  members  and  consistent  workers.  Jefferson  Encamp- 
ment had  such  workers  as  J.  K.  Albright,  R.  L.  Stratton,  J.  S. 
Bogan,  Dr.  Welborn,  T.  H.  McBride.  J.  B.  Tolle.  W.  D.  Green. 
Marion  Lodge  has  a  splendid  membership  and  now  owns  the  build- 
ing in  which  it  meets  and  in  which  the  Ham  National  Bank  is 
located. 

The  Knights  of  Honor  Lodge,  No.  683,  and  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic  Post,  No.  508,  meet  in  their  hall  in  the  Gibson 
building.  North  Ninth  street.  The  insurance  feature  keeps  the 
Knights  of  Honor  together.  The  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
unlike  other  orders,  has  no  field  to  recruit  from — ^being  composed 
only  of  soldiers  of  the  great  Civil  war,  and  as  a  consequence,  its 
ranks  are  continually  thinning  and  soon  the  last  roll-call  will  be 
sounded  and  the  last  veteran  mustered  out.  But  a  few  years  ago, 
there  were  five  posts  in  the  county — at  Mount  Vernon,  Dix,  Wal- 
tonvillle,  Woodlawn  and  Belle  Rive.  Now,  the  one  at  the  county 
seat  is  the  only  one  left  and  there  are  many  vacant  chairs  at  its 
monthly  meetings. 

Then  we  have  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  a  fine  lodge  of  young 
men,  with  the  Uniform  Rank  attached;  the  Modern  Woodmen, 
another  splendid  lodge,  carrying  the  insurance  feature,  and  a  large 
membership;  the  Ben  Hurs;  the  Red  Men;  the  Elks,  the  Eagles 
and  almost  anything  else  you  can  call  for — besides  several,  the  Iron 
Hall,  Mutual  Aid,  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  Knights 
and  Ladies  of  Security,  Evening  Star,  Brotherhood  of  Locomotive 
Engineers  and  Firemen  and  others  who  have  long  since  brought  up 
their  "unfinished  business"  and  closed  their  books. 

The  world  of  mankind  is  continually  seeking  after  brother- 
hood, and  as  long  as  the  church  thinks  more  of  creeds  and  sects  than 


11 


162  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

it  does  of  the  Fatherhood  of  God  and  the  Brotherhood  of  Man, 
brotherhood  orders  will  continue  to  come  and  go  and  try  to  fill  the 
"long  felt  want."  If  we,  as  church  members,  would  write  our 
names  in  kindness,  love  and  mercy  on  the  hearts  of  those  who  come 
in  contact  with  us,  we  would  not  so  soon  be  forgotten,  and  men 
would  not  be  seeking  brotherhood  in  the  dingy,  blind-folded  lodge 
rooms.  Good  deeds  shine  as  brightly  on  earth  as  the  stars  in 
heaven. 

"Be  kind!  Be  kind!  The  days  are  speeding  fast; 

The  time  for  kindly  deeds  will  soon  be  past. 

Speak  only  words  thou  wilt  should  be  thy  last. 

For  we  know  that  love  is  never  wasted. 

Nor  truth,  nor  the  breath  of  a  prayer; 

And  the  thought  that  goes  forth  as  a  blessing 

Must  live,  as  a  joy  in  the  air.'" 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

JEFFERSON   COUNTY  NEWSPAPERS. 

Mount  Vernon  a  Veritable  Newspaper  Grave  Yard.  The 
Many  Changes  that  have  Taken  Place — Steady  Decay  of  Long 
Felt  Wants — Lots  of  Fun,  but  not  Much  Funds., 

"For  life  IS  the  mirror  of  king  and  slave; 

'Tis  just  what  you  are  and  do ; 
Then  give  to  the  world  the  best  you  have. 

And  the  best  will  come  back  to  you." 

Print  brothers,  print  with  "caire," 
Print  the  sayings  of  ye  "editaire;" 
Print  em  bright  and  print  'em  strong; 
Commend  the  right,  condemn  the  wrong. 

A  county  without  a  newspaper  to  conserve  its  interest  can 
never  amount  to  much.  Like  many  other  county  seats.  Mount 
Vernon  has  been  a  veritable  grave  yard  for  newspaper  enterprises. 
And  those  of  us  who  have  from  time  to  time  attempted  to  hold  up 
the  "art  preservative"  have  fared  much  the  same  in  our  efforts.  We 
have  had  so  many  failures — dismal  and  otherwise — that  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  prepare  a  full  and  connected  history  of  Jefferson  county's 
newspaper  enterprises,  but  here  goes: 

FIRST  PAPER,  1 85 1 . 

T.  B.  Tanner  having  learned  from  Governor  Casey  that  John 
S.  Bogan,  who  came  to  the  county  in  1846,  and  went  to  farming 


164  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

in  Grand  Prairie,  was  an  old  editor  and  printer,  having  published 
papers  in  Virginia  and  having  learned  the  trade  in  the  Globe  office 
at  Washington  City — went  out  to  his  farm  and  camped  with  him 
for  a  few  days  to  talk  newspaper  for  Mount  Vernon.  To  talk 
newspaper  to  a  retired  newspaper  man  is  to  simply  arouse  his  desire 
to  "resume"  and  so  it  proved  in  Bogan's  case — the  paper  was  de- 
cided upon.  A  subscription  was  taken  up  and  one  hundred  and 
fifty-six  dollars  raised — not  enough.  Harvey  Pace  asked  "how 
much  more  was  needed?"  "Two  hundred  dollars"  was  the  an- 
swer. He  loaned  them  that  sum,  taking  notes  due  in  two  years. 
Bogan  found  a  printer  at  Belleville,  A.  A.  Stickney  by  name,  made 
him  a  partner  and  the  two  came  to  Mount  Vernon  to  "do  and  to 
dare."  An  old  mahogany-framed  press — called  the  Rammage — 
was  secured  at  Belleville  or  Alton,  and  about  a  good  shirt-tail  full 
of  type  and  a  few  cases  and  stands  were  purchased  and  the  enter- 
prise launched  in  the  room  over  Joel  F.  Watson's  store,  which  stood 
next  to  what  is  now  Buckham's  drug  store.  In  August,  1 85 1 ,  the 
first  number  of  the  "Jeffersonian"  greeted  the  admiring  eyes  of  the 
citizens  of  Mount  Vernon  and  Jefferson  county.  It  was  "pulled 
off"  by  Stickney — each  page  requiring  a  pull — while  the  editor  of 
this  book  "played  the  devil"  by  inking  each  page  with  a  hand  roller 
before  it  was  printed.  "The  Jeffersonian"  was  a  neat,  six-column 
folio  with  some  advertisements  and  mostly  foreign  reading  matter. 
It  was  "helped  out"  a  little  by  receiving  the  "official  printing"  from 
Hamilton  county — there  being  no  paper  there,  and  the  only  one 
near  us  was  Goesman's  Benton  Standard,  which  was  started  in 
1849.  After  "pulhng  off"  two  or  three  issues,  Stickney  became 
tired  and  went  over  to  Fairfield  and  started  a  paper.  He  afterwards 
went  south  and  finally  to  Alaska,  where  he  is — or  was — publish- 
ing a  little  emigrant  paper. 

After  Stickney  left,  tramp  printers,  like  Matchet,  Wallace, 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  165 

and  others,  came  along  and  helped  Bogan  and  with  the  aid  of  local 
talent,  like  Manly,  Wall,  Satterneld,  and  others,  the  paper  con- 
tinued to  come  out  weekly,  but  proved  too  weakly  financially  and 
soon  Bogan,  paper  and  farm  all  went  under  together,  simply  be- 
cause "Uncle  Johnny"  was  determined  to  pay  his  debts.  Tanner, 
who  was  at  this  time  Circuit  Clerk,  reproached  himself  as  the  cause 
of  Bogan's  misfortune,  resigned  his  office  and  had  Downing  Baugh, 
who  was  then  judge,  appoint  Bogan  to  the  place.  And  from  this 
appointment  and  subsequent  elections,  Bogan  served  in  the  Circuit 
Clerk's  office  for  upwards  of  thirty  years.  He  sold  the  printing  office 
to  a  couple  of  youngsters  from  St.  Louis — Bowman  and  Robinson 
— for  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  in  gold.  They  came, 
expecting  to  "run"  the  town,  but  soon  they  ran  home,  leaving  the 
office  in  the  hands  of  Dodds,  Johnson  &  Co.,  who  bought  it  from 
them.  The  new  company  was  composed  of  William  Dodds,  J.  N. 
Johnson,  Z.  Casey,  W.  B.  Scates,  T.  B.  Tanner,  Anderson  & 
Mills,  J.  Pace  &  Son,  with  a  view  of  advocating  the  building  of  a 
railroad  with  the  proceeds  of  nineteen  thousand  acres  of  swamp 
lands  which  belonged  to  the  county.  This  was  in  April,  1855.  The 
paper  was  revived.  Tanner  became  editor,  with  Lute  B.  Smith,  an 
ordinary  printer,  as  foreman;  he  had  as  aides,  John  A.  Wall,  T. 
T.  Wilson  and  others.  Tanner  got  St.  Louis  ads  and  run  the  sub- 
scription up  to  one  thousand.  He  bought  a  new  press  and  made  things 
hum.  After  having  "things  go  his  way"  on  the  railroad  question. 
Tanner  stepped  down  and  out,  but  at  the  solicitation  of  Tom  Casey 
and  Bill  Anderson,  who  formed  a  "spike  team"  and  announced 
themselves  editors  of  the  Sentinel,  as  successor  of  the  Jeffersonian. 
Before  the  year  was  out,  the  "big  editorial"  trio  found  out  they 
could  not  write — at  least  did  not  write — so  the  office  boys  could 
read  it;  so  they  stepped  out  and  the  office  boys.  Wall  and  Baugh, 
stepped  in  and  finished  the  year. 


166  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL. 

THE   EGYPTIAN   TORCHLIGHT. 

The  company  then  leased  the  plant  to  William  B.  Hollings- 
worth  and  John  A.  Wall.  They  published  the  Egyptian  Torch- 
light under  the  firm  name  of  Hollingsworth  &  Wall.  In  the  fall 
of  1857,  Wall  withdrew  and  spent  the  winter  in  Murfreesboro, 
Tennessee,  and  Hollingsworth  soon  quit  and  went  to  Arkansas.  Ed 
Satterfield  ran  the  paper  a  few  weeks,  adding  the  ambiguous  mot- 
to: "Egyptian  darkness  and  Jackson  Democracy — one  and  insep- 
arable." Then  Dr.  S.  Turner  Brown  took  the  paper  and  ran  it  a 
few  weeks,  when  he  married  a  visiting  young  lady  and  ran  away 
to  parts  unknown.  Ed  Satterfield  then  came  back  and  ran  the 
paper  till  the  tax-list  was  ripe — Judge  Satterfield  having  bought  it. 
After  the  tax-list,  the  office  was  sold  to  Curtis  &  Lane,  two  young 
teachers  from  Michigan.  They  moved  the  office  to  the  second  story 
of  the  Johnson  house,  and  induced  Wall  to  come  back  and  take  the 
formanship  while  they  edited.  At  the  end  of  the  year  they  left, 
but  leased  the  office  to  Wall,  who  moved  it  to  the  lower  rooms  of 
the  old  Odd  Fellows  hall,  where  he  ran  it  till  Satterfield  closed  the 
mortgage  he  held  against  Curtis  &  Lane  and  took  the  office  to  the 
court-house  to  run  it  as  part  of  the  county  court  of  which  he  was 
the  head,  with  his  sons,  Ed  and  John  in  command.  Finally,  in  1865, 
the  plant  was  sold  to  C.  L.  Hayes,  who  started  the  Mount  Vernon 
Free  Press  and  the  "old  thing"  was  finally  burned  in  the  Pheonix 
block  fire  of  1869. 

MOUNT  VERNON  GUARDIAN. 

Wall,  feeling  that  he  had  not  been  fairly  treated  in  the  trade, 
joined  with  Alex  Russell  in  the  purchase  of  the  Modern  Pharos 
office  at  Centralia,  moved  it  here  and  began  the  publication  of  the 
Mount  Vernon  Guardian  on  the  south  side  of  the  square.     It  was 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  167 

an  independent  sheet,  with  probably  RepubHcan  leanings,  and 
turned  out  to  be  a  staunch  supporter  of  the  War  for  the  Union. 
When  the  war  broke  out.  Wall  dropped  the  pencil,  paste-pot  and 
"shooting  stick"  and,  as  he  believed,  went  to  shooting  in  the  right 
direction.  The  fact  that  he  came  back  shot  through  the  shoulder 
made  no  change  in  his  opinion.  He  secured  possession  of  the  old 
Guardian  office  and  started  the  Unconditional  Unionist  and  shot  at 
everything  that  opposed  the  flag  and  the  Union.  His  paper  was 
of  such  a  character  that  he  had  over  fifteen  hundred  subscribers 
among  the  boys  at  the  front,  who  not  only  wanted  to  hear  from 
home,  but  wanted  to  know  what  Wall  was  saying  to  the  "fire  in 
the  rear"  fellows.  This  list  was  largely  increased  when  in  1864 
they  learned  that  their  old  comrade  had  been  way-laid  at  night  by 
three  of  these  fellows  who  attempted  to  assassinate  him  simply  be- 
cause he  would  not  refrain  from  publishing  his  Union  sentiments. 
After  the  war  was  fully  over.  Wall  went  to  Salem  and  took  charge 
of  the  Republican  there.  Jack  Alden  succeeded  Wall  here;  then 
Henry  Hitchcock  came  and  took  the  office  and  started  the  States- 
man, which  lasted  but  a  short  time. 

After  his  burn  out,  Hayes  resumed  the  publication  of  the  Free 
Press,  but  sold  out  to  Bob  Wilbanks  and  George  Haynes.  who 
let  William  Mantz  have  it  a  while;  then  Don  Davison  got  it  and 
ran  it  as  a  Greenback  paper.  In  1 876  a  Greenback  Printing  Com- 
pany was  organized  and  William  B.  Anderson  became  editor  of 
the  Free  Press,  and  fired  many  hot  shots  at  the  old  parties. 

THE  NEWS. 

In  1871  the  Tromly  boys  started  the  News,  ran  it  five  years 
as  a  Republican  paper  and  sold  it  to  C.  L.  Hayes;  Hayes  sold  it 
to  C.  A.  Keller  and  Keller  to  H.  H.  Simmons.     In  1880,  Simmons 


168  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL. 

bought  the  Free  Press — thus  combining  the  News  and  the  Free 
Press  in  one  and  making  the  News  the  only  really  financially  suc- 
cessful paper  thus  far  published  in  the  county. 

SUCKER  STATE. 

Hayes  and  Bob  Morrison  got  hold  of  the  Statesman  office, 
calling  it  Sucker  State,  made  it  Democratic,  but  later  ran  it  ashore 
and  quit. 

EXPONENT. 

Another  Hitchcock,  Edward,  moved  his  Clark  county  Ex- 
ponent here  in  1878  and  made  a  fair  success  of  it  as  a  Republican 
paper  until  1884,  when  he  sold  out  to  Morris  Emmerson,  who 
changed  the  name  to  Mount  Vernon  Register.  Emmerson  put  it 
on  a  paying  basis  and  sold  to  the  present  proprietor,  M.  J.  Seed, 
who  is  fairly  making  it  hum,  both  as  a  weekly  and  a  daily.  The 
Register  is  good  property,  ably  edited  and  is  a  credit  to  the  city 
and  county.  Mr.  Seed  is  a  native  of  Southern  Illinois,  a  young 
man  of  sterling  worth,  a  graduate  of  the  Northwestern  University, 
and  stands  high  (six  and  one-half  feet)  in  every  good  word  and 
work.  His  full  name  is  Morris  Joy  Seed — the  Joy  being  in 
honor  of  Rev.  E.  Joy,  who  used  to  preach  in  the  Methodist  church 
here  and  who  was  a  relative  of  the  Seed  family.  Mr.  T.  H.  Seed, 
father  of  M.  J.,  is  also  connected  with  the  Register.  He  is  an  old 
newspaper  man,  a  veteran  soldier  and  a  Christian.  The  Seeds' 
are  in  the  paper  business  both  for  revenue  and  for  the  cause  of 
truth  and  morality.     W.  B.  Goodrich  is  the  local  editor. 

H.  H.  Simmons  made  the  News  a  reliable,  good  paper  and 
was  making  some  money  with  it,  but  age  creeping  on,  he  sold  to 
Grear  &  Baker,  in  1887,  who  made  a  fair  run  of  the  paper  until 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  169 

1892.  R.  F.  Pace  bought  Grear's  interest  and  the  firm  was  Pace 
&  Baker.  Pace  found  out  that  running  a  newspaper  was  not  all 
"fun"  and  in  1895  sold  his  interest  to  William  T.  Summer  and 
Summer  and  Baker  distilled  Democratic  enthusiasm  for  the 
Jeffersonians  until  Summer's  health  failed  and  he  left  for  the 
port  of  editorial  bliss  "over  the  divide."  Under  Summer  the  News 
was  successful  and  spicy. 

THE  JEFFERSON   COUNTY  DEMOCRAT, 

Was  established  by  J.  F.  Bogan  in  1894,  but  after  running 
it  awhile  he  sold  to  C.  F.  Ellis,  and  he  to  J.  V.  Baugh  &  Son,  by 
whom  it  was  published  two  years  and  consolidated  with  the  News. 
The  News  is  now  run  by  a  syndicate,  with  J.  J.  Baker  as  business 
manager,  Joe  VanCleve  Baugh,  editor,  and  Joe.  E.  Pace,  as  lo- 
calizer— putting  out  both  daily  and  weekly  editions,  and  is  good 
paying  property.  The  News  has  maintained  its  name  longer  than 
any  other  Mount  Vernon  paper,  but  it  has  had  various  other 
changes — including  a  change  in  politics.  Mr.  Simmons  remained 
in  the  News  office  until  recently  as  a  typo.  If  the  simple  "passing 
away"  of  a  friend  appals  us,  we  certamly  have  reason  to  feel  sad  at 
the  departure  of  so  many  dear  friends  since  we  began  writing  this  brief 
history  of  Jefferson  county.  Many  of  the  friends  of  our  early  days, 
have,  in  a  few  brief  moments  "wrapped  the  drapery  of  their  couches 
about  them  and  laid  down  to  pleasant  dreams."  Among  the  last  to 
go  was  that  veteran  newspaper  man,  so  long  connected  with  the 
Mount  Vernon  News  and  other  papers,  who  left  for  the  "golden 
shore"  this  winter,  aged  eighty-one  years.  The  writer  used  to  work 
for  him,  and  it  was  his  habit  to  pay  off  his  help  Saturday  morning, 
so,  as  he  said,  the  boys  could  pay  their  debts  early.  He  had  us  set 
up  an  obituary  one  day  and  all  it  said  was:    "He  was  a  good  man." 


170  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

Brother  Simmons  said  that  was  the  best  obituary  a  man  could  have. 
Such  being  true  we  write  his  obituary  in  his  own  words — "He  was 
a  good  man" — enough. 

We  have  before  us  an  illustrated  edition  of  the  Register  pub- 
Hshed  in  1893.  and  also  one  of  the  News,  1904.  They  are  both 
gems  in  the  line  of  the  printatorial  art — a  credit  to  the  two  offices 
and  their  managers. 

The  Journal  was  published  for  a  while  by  A.  S.  Phillips  as  a 
weekly,  later  by  Pavey  &  Phillips  as  a  daily,  but  soon  failed  for 
lack  of  patronage. 

A  few  years  ago  the  Mount  Vernon  Times  was  established  by 
the  Times  Printing  Company,  with  B.  C.  Wells  as  editor.  It  was 
established  as  a  weekly.  Later  a  daily  edition  was  issued  for  a 
time,  but  proved  unremunerative  and  was  suspended.  The  plant 
was  purchased  by  W.  E.  Roberts,  of  Coffeen.  It  passed  into  the 
hands  of  Ralph  Jackson,  who  taught  school  and  published  a  Re- 
publican paper  for  a  while.  The  office  was  finally  sold  and  went 
to  Dahlgren. 

THE  PROGRESSIVE   FARMER. 

A  Farmers*  Mutual  Benefit  Association  paper,  with  John  P. 
Steele  as  manager,  was  published  here  for  several  years,  and  at- 
tained an  immense  circulation  throughout  this  and  adjoining  states. 
Its  circulation  ran  up  to  many  thousands,  it  cut  a  broad  swath,  but 
finished  its  course  and  has  taken  its  place  in  the  Mount  Vernon 
newspaper  graveyard,  where — peace  to  its  ashes — as  well  as  to  the 
ashes  of  the  various  other  sheets  that  were  also  "unfortunate,  rashly 
importunate." 

It  would  be  a  great  pleasure  for  the  writer  to  swing  back  into 
the  editorial  harness  here  in  Mount  Vernon  were  it  not  for  a  few 
facts — two  of  which  are  he  is  simply  a  back-number  and  as  poor  as 
Job's  turkey.     This  field  is  a  promising  one   for  an  editor  who 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  171 

"claims  the  right  of  thought  and  what  he  thinks  asserts,"  one  who 
thoroughly  believes  that — 

"Truth  crushed  to  earth  will  rise  again. 
The  eternal  years  of  God  are  hers; 
While  error  wounded  writhes  in  pain 
And  dies  amid  her  worshippers." 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


AS  TO   POLITICS. 


Politics  is  Said  to  be  the  Science  of  Government,  but  too  often 
it  Proves  to  be  the  Science  of  Graft — For  this  Latter  Kind  the 
People  Have  no  use,  While  for  the  Former  Kind  They  Have  the 
Greatest  Respect. 

"Whoso  reforms  himself  reforms  the  vs^orld 

WTien  he  has  conquered  his  own  kingdom,  then, 

With  flaming  banners  to  the  winds  unfurled. 

He  marches  forth  with  power  and  conquers  men." 

Jefferson  county  was  settled  largely  by  people  from  the  South- 
ern slave  states,  and  of  course  they  brought  with  them  their  early 
conceived  ideas  of  politics;  for  in  those  days  politics  were  largely 
hereditary,  or  of  the  home-made  order,  but  still  of  a  very  definite 
and  ardent  brand.  Some  of  them  came  to  get  away  from  slavery 
and  secure  free  homes,  while  others  came  to  get  free  homes  and 
still  contend  and  vote  for  slavery — the  very  thing  that  prevented 
them  from  obtaining  free  homes  in  the  South.  Both  factions  con- 
tinued to  revere  the  names  of  their  demi-gods,  Jefferson  and  Jack- 
son, and  endorse  anything  that  had  their  names  branded  upon  it. 
But  while  this  was  true  of  those  calling  themselves  Democrats,  there 
was  a  goodly  minority  of  pioneers  scattered  over  the  county  that 
were  to  a  certain  extent  worshipers  of  Adams,  Clay  and  Webster. 
At  the  first  there  was  very  little  party  strife.     The  first  general 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  173 

election  that  caused  even  a  ripple  in  the  county  was  the  presidential 
election  of  1828,  which  was  attended  with  considerable  feeling. 
At  this  election  the  candidates  were  General  Jackson,  with  his  vic- 
tory at  New  Orleans  fresh  in  the  minds  of  the  people,  Henry  Clay, 
the  sage  of  Kentucky,  John  Quincy  Adams,  a  born  statesman,  and 
William  Crawford,  of  Georgia.  Jackson,  of  course,  led  in  this 
county,  but  neither  of  the  candidates  had  a  majority  of  the  elect- 
oral votes.  Jackson  led,  Adams  second,  Crawford  third,  with  Clay 
the  hindmost;  he  was  dropped  in  the  contest  and  the  vote  of  Ken- 
tucky went  to  Adams,  electing  him,  and  when  Clay  was  placed  at 
the  head  of  the  State  Department,  the  Jackson  men  were  not  slow 
to  charge  that  it  was  a  clear  case  of  "bargain  and  sale"  and  this 
event  was  used  in  Jackson's  favor  in  the  canvass  of  1828  and  con- 
tributed largely  to  his  success  and  the  defeat  of  Adams  for  re-elec- 
tion at  that  time.  At  this  election,  however,  the  parties  were  only 
known  as  Jackson  and  anti-Jackson.  Leaving  Jackson  in  charge  of 
the  government,  we  will  come  down  to  state  and  county  politics. 
There  were  two  gubernatorial  tickets  in  the  field — both  Jack- 
sonian,  but  what  would  be  called  today.  Stalwarts  and  Half- 
Breeds.  Mr.  Kinney  was  the  Stalwart  candidate  for  Governor, 
with  Zadok  Casey  as  a  running-mate;  John  Reynolds  was  the  Half- 
Breed  candidate  and  R.  B.  Slocum,  of  Wayne  county,  was  on  the 
same  ticket  for  Lieutenant-Governor.  The  peculiar  result  was  that 
Reynolds  and  Casey  were  elected — Casey  showing  his  wonderful 
popularity — he  being  the  only  Stalwart  candidate  chosen  at  that 
election.  With  but  few  changes  in  policy,  the  Jackson  and  anti- 
Jackson  factions  soon  after  became  what  was  known  as  the  Whig 
and  Democratic  parties,  and  for  many  years  there  were  sharp  con- 
tests between  them  as  to  which  should  run  the  government.  Jack- 
son was  elected  President  and  served  out  his  eight  years  and  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  Martin  VanBuren  in  as  his  successor,  but  failed 


174  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL. 

when  it  came  to  his  re-election,  and  the  Whigs  elected  General 
William  Henry  Harrison,  who  died  soon  after  his  inauguration,  and 
John  Tyler,  a  "Mugwump,"  filled  out  the  term,  proving  himself 
anything  but  a  good  Whig — the  party  that  elected  him.  Then 
came  Henry  Clay  to  make  the  fight  of  his  life  and  was  defeated  by 
Polk.  Four  years  later  the  Whigs  again  succeeded  in  electing  their 
man — General  Scott,  but  he  died  in  office  as  did  General  Harri- 
son, and  Millard  Fillmore,  the  Vice-President,  filled  out  the  term. 
He  afterwards  run  as  the  American,  or  "Know  Nothing,"  can- 
didate for  President.  The  Whig  party  then  merged  itself  into  the 
Republican  party  of  today,  while  the  organization  that  called  itself 
the  Jacksonian  Democratic  party  has  survived  the  intervening 
years  without  change  of  name,  but  not  without  change  of  policy, 
for  at  one  time  and  another  its  political  coat  has  assumed  all  the 
hues  of  the  historical  garment  of  Joseph  of  old — and  then  some. 
Coming  down  to  the  county,  we  may  say  that  it  has  been  under 
the  control  of  this  Democratic  party  with  little  or  weak  opposition, 
so  weak,  in  fact,  that  the  old  party  had  clear  sailing  up  to  the  elec- 
tion of  Abraham  Lincoln  as  President  and  the  breaking  out  of  the 
war  for  the  destruction  of  the  government,  when  new  lines  began  to 
form  and  the  young  men  of  the  county  came  to  the  front  and  ar- 
rayed themselves  on  the  side  of  freedom  and  the  perpetuation  of 
the  Union  and  the  maintainance  of  the  flag — as  against  State's 
Rights,  Slavery  and  Disunion.  The  result  was  that  in  a  few  years 
Jefferson  county  became  free  territory — that  is,  as  to  political  think- 
ing and  voting — until  now,  instead  of  the  interests  of  the  county 
being  entirely  in  the  hands  of  one  party,  there  is  scarcely  an  elec- 
tion when  the  responsibilities  are  not  divided,  as  between  the  par- 
ties— a  safe  condition ;  especially  in  view  of  what  has  taken  place  in 
other  years.  In  the  very  early  days,  the  county  was  chiefly  con- 
trolled by  two  prominent  men  and  their  followers.     We  refer  to 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  175 

Gov.  Zadok  Casey  and  Gov.  S.  H.  Anderson.  We  have 
elsewhere  given  a  brief  synopsis  of  their  characters,  Hves  and  ser- 
vices in  connection  with  the  formation  and  progress  of  the  county 
and  the  county  seat,  because  their  efforts  for  the  material  and  po- 
Htical  elevation  of  Old  Jefferson  were  so  closely  blended  that  we 
could  not  well  separate  them,  and  we  preferred  to  class  them  as 
real  citizens,  rather  than  as  politicians.  The  same  may  be  said  of 
Joel  Pace,  Noah  Johnston,  and  others,  whose  lives  and  services  have 
already  been  referred  to.  As  had  already  been  said,  these  highly 
valued  citizens  were  all  Democrats,  Jefferson  or  Jackson  followers, 
and  in  their  day  and  generation  were  undisputed  controllers  of  the 
political  sentiments  of  the  county,  but  they  were  honest,  faithful 
men,  without  guile  and  were  always  actuated  by  patriotic  motives 
and  hence  were  good,  safe  leaders.  In  a  political  way,  they  had  as 
their  allies  such  well  known  men  as  some  of  the  Maxeys,  Caseys, 
Johnsons,  and  especially  and  officially,  such  hold-overs  as  Dock 
Adams,  F.  S.  Casey,  William  Dodds,  J.  R.  Satterfield  and  others, 
who  seemed  to  have  a  life-lease  on  the  county  offices.  But  the 
truth  of  history  leads  us  to  say  that  these  were  all  good  citizens  and 
faithful  officers.  It  is  nothing  against  their  honesty  to  say  that  they 
were  allowed  by  law  an  indefinite  amount  of  fees  and  emoluments 
(which  evidently  made  them  cling  to  the  offices)  that  are  not  al- 
lowed to  county  or  other  officials  today. 

Our  first  dim  recollection  of  politics  dates  even  as  far  back  as 
the  Hard  Cider,  or  Harrison,  campaign  when  they  hauled  cabins 
around  containing  barrels  of  hard  cider.  But  more  vivid  is  the  re- 
membrance of  the  red-hot  campaign  of  1844.  We  well  remember 
the  enthusiasm,  the  big  meetings,  the  flags  and  the  songs,  or  rather 
jingles  they  got  off  on  each  other;  one  ran  like  this: 

"Hurrah,  hurrah,  the  river's  rising, 

To  drown  old  Clay  and  Frelinghuyson." 


176  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

In  those  days  it  was  the  custom  of  the  parties  to  raise  long  poles 
in  the  public  square  and  float  from  the  tops  of  them  ftags  and 
streamers  with  their  candidates'  names,  and  the  main  thing  was  to 
get  the  highest  pole.  The  flags  were  drawn  to  the  tops  of  the  poles 
by  pulleys  and  ropes.  The  Polk  men  hauled  in  a  long  hickory  tree 
and  erected  it  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the  square  and  threw  their 
banner  to  the  breeze.  The  Clay  people  responded  by  erectmg  an 
oak  pole  at  the  southwest  corner — considerably  higher  than  the 
Polk  pole  and  be  gan  to  "Polk  fun"  at  the  other  fellows.  At  night 
some  miscreants  cut  the  rope  on  the  Clay  pole  and  attempted  to  pull 
it  down,  but  it  caught  in  the  pulley  and.  like  Scott's  coon,  refused 
to  tumble.  But  they  secured  the  banner  and  tearing  it  apart  de- 
posited it  in  a  near-by  sink.  Of  course,  this  engendered  ill-feeling, 
and  both  parties  took  their  flags  down  at  night  to  prevent  them  being 
destroyed.  But  you  say  that  the  Whig  flag  was  already  down.  So 
it  was,  but  Michael  Tromly,  the  old  French  jeweler  whom  every- 
body knew,  came  to  the  front  and  manufactured  a  mechanical  con- 
trivance which  he  called  a  "coon,"  that  climbed  up  the  rope,  carry- 
ing the  flags  with  it  until  the  top  of  the  pole  was  reached  and  then 
you  ought  to  have  heard  "them  "Whigs"  yell  and  yell  again. 

We  also  recollect  that  two  four-horse  wagons  filled  with  en- 
thusiastic Democrats  left  town  for  Marion,  where  a  big  rally  was 
held,  and  it  was  three  days  before  they  got  back.  They  took  a 
band  along  and  we  remember  that  Tom  Pace,  Joe  Tyler  and  Wes- 
ley Johnson  were  the  principal  musicians.  It  would  be  difficult  to 
conceive  how  we  would  run  a  big  campaign  now  without  railroads, 
telegraphs  and  telephones,  but  they  did'  then,  without  seemingly 
losing  a  step. 

Back  in  the  forties,  through  the  influence  of  Governor  Casey 
and  Judge  Scates,  the  First  Grand  Division  of  the  Supreme  Court 
was  located  here,  and  Mount  Vernon  became  to  a  degree  the  po- 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  177 

litical  headquarters  for  Southern  Illinois;  by  reason  of  all  the  law- 
yers and  politicians — largely  one  and  the  same  in  those  days — com- 
ing here  and  spending  days  and  weeks  at  the  protracted  sittings  of 
the  Supreme  Court.  There  being  no  railroads  to  get  away  on  the 
next  train,  the  visitors  would  settle  down  for  a  rest  and  a  good  stay 
with  us,  while  they  talked  law  and  politics.  Among  the  many  who 
came  were  Abraham  Lincoln  and  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  who  after- 
wards, in  1858,  publicly  discussed  what  they  then  talked  to  a  more 
select  circle,  for,  being  a  waiter  boy  at  the  old  Mount  Vernon  Inn, 
where  they  boarded,  we  would  of  an  evening  sit  and  listen  to  them 
go  over  the  same  ground  in  a  friendly  way.  After  the  discussion 
was  over  and  the  meeting  broke  up,  which  consisted  of  the  visiting 
lawyers  in  the  hotel  waiting  rooms,  these  (afterwards  great)  men 
would  kindly  pass  their  boots  over  to  the  writer  to  be  blacked  for 
next  day's  appearance  before  the  august  court.  With  the  pittance 
thus  secured,  we  purchased  from  Han'ey  Pace  the  first  pair  of  red- 
topped  boots  we  ever  had,  and  it  goes  without  saying  that  when  we 
got  them  on,  we  felt  as  big  as  Lincoln,  Douglas  and  the  whole 
court.  We  considered  it  no  disgrace  that  we  had  blacked  the  boots 
of  men  like  Lincoln  and  Douglas,  and  we  consider  it  an  imper- 
ishable honor  that  a  few  years  later  we  were  permitted  to  serve  as  a 
"soldier  boy"  in  defense  of  the  Union  and  the  perpetuation  of  Old 
Glory,  under  Abraham  Lincoln  as  Commander-in-Chief  of  the 
Army  of  the  United  States,  helping  to  prove  the  truthfulness  of 
Douglas's  dying  words:  "There  are  but  two  parties  in  this  gov- 
ernment. Patriots  and  Traitors,"  and  at  the  same  time  helping  to 
fix  in  the  Declaration  of  Independence  the  enacting  clause  forever, 
that  "All  men  born  free  and  equal  and  are  endowned  by  their 
Creator  with  life,  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness."  Many  in- 
teresting and  amusing  things  were  said  by  these  men  and  sometimes 
personal  experience,  incidents  and  anecdotes  were  the  order  of  the 

12 


178  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

evening.  One  evening  Lincoln  in  his  own  inimitable  way,  told  a 
story  on  himself  that  sent  the  hearty  laugh  around  the  room.  He 
said:  "When  the  state  capital  was  moved  from  Vandalia  to 
Springfield,  I  followed  it  up  to  try  to  make  a  living  at  the  law,  be- 
cause legal  business  was  very  scarce  in  those  days.  I  soon  got  into 
a  case  that  led  me  to  attend  court  at  Taylorville,  I  had  no  horse,  so 
I  ordered  the  old  rockaway  stage  coach  to  call  for  me  next  morn- 
ing. Meantime  I  greased  my  boots,  put  on  my  new  jean  pants  and 
stove-pipe  hat  and  'spruced  up'  generally — looking  as  much  like  a 
lawyer  as  I  could.  When  the  cab  came,  it  was  full  and  I  had  to 
take  a  seat  with  the  driver  on  top  and  in  front.  After  we  had  set 
sail,  it  being  a  nice  breezy  morning,  the  driver  reached  down  in  the 
box  and  drew  forth  a  raw  twist  of  tobacco  and  after  helping  him- 
self, offered  it  to  me  with  'take  a  chaw,  mister?'  I  thanked  him,  I 
did  not  chew.  After  saturating  a  mouthful  of  the  stuff  he  puffed  it 
out  against  the  wind,  causing  it  to  come  back  over  my  hat,  pants  and 
boots— utterly  destroying  my  handsome  appearance,  but  this  did 
not  disturb  him.  He  then  reached  down  again  and  brought  forth 
a  flash  of  red-eye  and  after  treating  himself,  offered  it  to  me.  Again 
I  thanked  him,  I  did  not  drink.  This  seemed  to  confuse  him  and 
giving  me  a  queer  look  with  his  cock-eye,  said :  'Mister,  do  you  know 
what  I  think  of  your  fellers  who  aint  got  no  small  vices?'  'No'; 
said  I.  Then  with  a  glance  of  disdain,  he  drawled  out,  'I  think 
you  make  up  in  big  ones  what  you  lack  in  little  ones ;  and  I  can  tell 
by  the  cut  of  your  jib  that  you  are  bad  after  the  wimmen.*  "  The 
dry  manner  in  which  he  told  the  story  added  zest  to  it  and  the  great 
man,  being  a  perfect  Joseph  along  the  line  alluded  to,  also  made  it 
seem  ludicrous. 

After  the  war  Jefferson  county  struggled  along  in  the  Demo- 
cratic rut  until  finally  the  old  bosses  died  off  and  new  parties  and 
new  conditions  sprang  up  and  then  the  new  mode  of  ballot  came  in 


WALL  S  HISTORY  OF  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL. 


179 


which  protected  the  voter  in  marking  in  his  own  choice  and  then  Jef- 
ferson county  began  controHing  pohtics,  instead  of  allowing  politics 
to  control  it — which  we  consider  a  healthy  situation  for  any  coun- 
ty or  township.  We  realize  that  in  the  hands  of  professional  poli- 
ticians, politics  are  tricky — that  they  "wriggle  in  and  wriggle  out, 
leaving  the  people  still  in  doubt  whether  the  snake  that  made  the 
track  is  going  south  or  coming  back,"  but  we  rejoice  to  believe  that 
the  people  are  coming  to  know  "where  they  are  at,"  and  that  the 
curse  of  "bossism"  is  securely  "nailed  down"  in  the  junk-pile  of 
discarded  political  methods. 

We  could  nil  this  chapter  with  the  praises  of  our  fellow-citi- 
zens who  have  served  us  in  different  public  capacities,  but  lime  and 
space  forbid.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  we  have  had  good  average 
representatives  in  our  General  assemblies  all  the  way  through;  be- 
sides, Jefferson  county  has  furnished  two  Lieutenant-Governors — 
Casey  and  Anderson;  two  Congressmen — Casey  and  Anderson 
(Bill)  ;  one  Attorney-General — General  Scales,  one  State  Super- 
intendent, Francis  G.  Blair.  During  the  political  upheavals  that 
have  occurred  since  the  war,  several  men  have  secured  positions 
that  could  not  be  called  political  triumphs  for  the  successful  parties, 
for  the  reason  that  the  office  secured  did  not  come  in  their  own; 
party  name.  General  Anderson's  election  to  Congress  came  in  this 
way;  being  elected  as  a  Greenbacker  when  he  was  a  Democrat. 
Captain  J.  R.  Moss  and  Matthew  Telford  were  elected  to  the  Leg- 
islature as  Greenbackers  and  Farmer  Club  men,  while  both  were 
Republicans.  But  for  the  most  part,  the  Democrats  of  the  county 
have  always  voted  that  ticket  straight — never  allowing  other  parties 
to  get  between  that  party  and  the  offices — always  giving  a  majority 
to  its  Presidential,  Gubernatorial,  Congressional  and  Legislative 
candidates.  "Vote  'er  straight,"  was  the  command  of  the  managers 
and  until  the  adoption  of  the  secret  ballot,  they  took  much  pains  to 


180  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

see  that  their  orders  were  obeyed,  by  helping  to  mark  the  ballot  and 
going  with  the  voter  to  the  box  to  see  that  he  put  it  in  all  right. 
Under  the  present  system  a  man  cannot  be  compelled  to  vote  as  an- 
other shall  dictate ;  and  if  he  is  base  enough  to  sell  his  vote  to  another 
who  is  base  enough  to  buy  it,  the  purchaser  can  have  no  evidence 
that  the  goods  will  be  delivered — so  after  all,  we  have  fallen  on  a 
good  era  as  to  the  voting  business — a  time  and  a  system  when  a  man 
can  vote  straight  or  mix  or  scratch  his  ticket,  with  none  to  molest  or 
make  afraid.  But  under  all  systems,  Jefferson  county  has  stuck  to 
its  custom  of  giving  a  majority  to  Democratic  Presidential  nominees 
(except  Teddy  Roosevelt)  from  Adams  down  to  Bryan's  third  run, 
giving  that  persistent  candidate  eight  hundred  majority  in  1 896,  four 
hundred  in  1900  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  in  1908;  and  while  the 
minor  offices  are  again  divided,  George  L.  Ore,  Republican,  being 
re-elected  State's  Attorney  and  Burl  Hawkins,  Democrat,  succeed- 
ing G.  W.  Highsmith,  Republican,  as  Circuit  Clerk.  Verily,  the 
signs  of  the  times  indicate  that  our  politics  are  growing  better. 

There  have  been  several  breaks  in  the  chain  of  Democratic  as- 
cendency during  the  last  half  century,  but  not  until  the  Roosevelt 
landslide  of  1904,  did  the  whole  chain  give  way — from  President 
down  to  Coroner.  It  was  quite  natural  that  the  pendulum  should 
swing  back  to  Bryan,  because  the  county  on  a  full  vote  is  still  in- 
clined towards  its  old  love — Democracy — and  also  because  it  had 
already  given  Bryan  its  vote  in  his  two  former  races.  But  the  coun- 
ty is  practically  a  "stand-off"  politically,  as  the  politicians  well 
know.  Perhaps  no  more  appropriate  conclusion  could  be  given  this 
little  allusion  to  county  politics  than  a  list  of  the  faithful  Senators 
and  Representatives  who  have  been  sent  from  Jefferson  county  to 
our  State  Councils  since  its  organization. 

In  the  first  and  second  General  Assembly,  the  name  of  Jeffer- 
son county  did  not  appear,  but  in  the  third  session  (1822)  Zadok 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  181 

Casey  was  in  the  list  of  Representatives,  accredited  to  Jefferson 
county.  The  fourth  session  had  Zadok  Casey  as  a  member  of  the 
House.  In  the  fifth  session,  Zadok  Casey  appears  as  Senator  and 
Nicholas  Wren  as  Representative.  In  the  sixth  session,  Cdsey  was 
Senator,  but  no  local  Representative.  In  the  seventh,  Zadok  Casey 
was  president  of  the  Senate,  and  no  House  Representative.  Same 
in  the  eighth,  same  as  to  Senate,  with  Stinson  H.  Anderson  as  Rep- 
resentative. In  the  ninth,  we  find  the  names  of  both  S.  H.  Ander- 
son and  H.  T.  Pace.  In  the  tenth,  H.  T.  Pace  in  the  House,  no 
Jeffersonian  in  the  Senate.  In  the  eleventh  General  Assembly,  first 
session  held  at  Vandalia,  we  find  Stinson  H.  Anderson,  president 
of  the  Senate  and  Noah  Johnston,  Senator,  and  Harvey  T.  Pace, 
Representative.  In  the  twelfth,  the  same  as  to  the  Senate,  with 
Stephen  G.  Hicks  in  the  House.  In  the  thirteenth,  we  find  R.  A. 
D.  Wilbanks,  of  Jefferson,  in  the  Senate,  with  Hicks  as  Represen- 
tative. In  the  fourteenth,  Wilbanks  and  Hicks  again.  In  the  fif- 
teenth, no  Jeffersonian  in  the  Senate,  but  Lewis  F.  Casey  in  the 
House.  Sixteenth,  Zadok  Casey  again  in  the  Senate  as  speaker, 
but  none  in  the  House.  In  the  seventeenth,  we  find  no  JelTersonian 
in  the  Senate,  but  Zadok  Casey  in  the  House.  Eighteenth,  no  Sen- 
ator, but  John  Wilbanks  in  the  House.  Nineteenth,  same  except 
we  find  T.  B.  Tanner  in  the  House.  Twentieth,  same  except  we 
find  William  B.  Anderson  in  the  House.  Twenty-first,  same. 
Twenty-second,  Zadok  Casey  again  in  the  Senate,  with  no  Jeffer- 
sonian in  the  House.  Twenty-third,  no  Senator,  but  Henry  M. 
Williams  in  the  House.  Twenty-fourth,  no  Jeffersonian  in  either 
House,  but  of  course  the  county  was  represented  by  the  district 
members.  Twenty-fifth,  no  Senator,  but  Noah  Johnston,  Repre- 
sentative, and  John  A.  Wall  as  assistant  doorkeeper.  Twenty-sixth 
session,  S.  K.  Casey  as  member  and  John  A.  Wall  as  sergeant-at- 
arms  of  the  Senate,  but  no  Jeffersonian  in  the  House.     Twenty- 


182  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

seventh,  S.  K.  Casey,  Senator,  and  Thomas  S.  Casey,  Represent- 
ative. Twenty-eighth,  Thomas  S.  Casey,  Senator,  and  none  in  the 
House.  Twenty-ninth,  Casey  in  Senate,  A.  B.  Barrett  in  House. 
Thirtieth,  none  in  Senate,  Thomas  J.  WiUiams  in  House.  Thirty- 
first,  same  as  to  Senate,  John  R.  Moss  and  Alfred  Morton  Green 
in  the  House.  Thirty-second,  same  as  to  Senate,  R.  A.  D.  Wil- 
banks  in  House.  Thirty-third,  same  as  to  Senate,  Seth  F.  Crews 
and  George  H.  Varnell  in  the  House.  Thirty-fourth,  same  as  to 
Senate,  George  H.  Varnell  in  House.  Thirty-fifth,  A;  M.  Strat- 
ton  in  Senate,  Representative  from  other  counties.  Thirty-sixth, 
Stratton  in  Senate,  Matthew  Telford,  Representative.  Thirty- 
seventh,  none  in  Senate,  Dr.  J.  H.  Watson,  Representative.  Thirty- 
eighth,  same  as  to  Senate  and  same  as  to  House.  Thirty-ninth, 
none  in  Senate,  Samuel  H.  Watson  and  William  H.  Green,  Repre- 
sentatives. Fortieth,  Joseph  T.  Payne,  Senator,  and  F.  G.  Blood, 
Representative.  Forty-first,  same  as  to  Senate,  Norman  H.  Moss, 
Representative.  Forty-second,  Dr.  J.  H.  Watson,  Senate,  none  in 
House.  Forty-third,  Watson  in  Senate,  none  in  House.  Forty- 
fourth,  no  Jeffersonian  in  either  House.  Forty-fifth,  none  in  Senate, 
but  W.  C.  Blair  in  House,  Forty-sixth,  none  in  Senate,  but  W.  C. 
Blair  and  George  B.  Welborn  in  the  House. 

So  it  will  be  seen  that  Jefferson  county  is  holding  her  own  in 
Legislative  as  well  as  all  other  matters. 

Politics  as  applied  to  state-craft,  the  science  of  government  is 
quite  a  commendable  avocation,  but  when  simply  applied  to  the 
means  of  getting  into  office,  or  gratifying  advantage  after  getting 
there,  it  is  quite  the  reverse.  And  hence,  many  good  people  become 
disgusted  with  what  is  rightly  termed  personal  politics — and  ma- 
chine politics,  another  spurious  article.  A  prominent  Jeffersonian 
recently  told  us  he  had  seen  so  much  of  these  kinds  of  politics  and 
political  maneuvering,  that  he  felt  like  drinking  a  toast  to  it,  and 
this  was  the  toast  he  proposed: 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO..   ILL.  183 

"Here's  to  the  ins  and  here's  to  the  outs. 

They  are  all  birds  of  a  feather; 
Here's  damn  the  ins  and  damn  the  outs. 

And  damn  them  all  together!" 

But  we  hope  and  believe  that  our  friend  is  too  sweeping  in 
his  toast  and  that  hereafter  our  Jefferson  county  politicians  will  oc- 
cupy a  higher  plane,  and  politics  will  be  of  a  purer  order  and  that 
the  next  historian  will  find  it  a  pleasure  to  command  them  for  their 
virtues  and  allude  to  politics  as  we  do  to  religion — as  something 
really  good  for  the  people  and  conducive  to  their  general  welfare — 
just  as  we  would  like  to  do  now  and  would  willingly  do,  if  the  facts 
would  justify  the  statement.  Let  us  go  back  to  the  beginning  and 
seek  to  review  our  political  youth.  Let  us  select  men  like  the  Caseys, 
the  Andersons,  the  Johnsons,  the  Maxeys,  and  see  if  we  cannot 
keep  a  purer  political  atmosphere  around  us — especially  in  Jeffer- 
son county. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

JEFFERSON    COUNTY    GOVERNMENT. 

Township  Organization — Local  Self -Government — Three 
Commissioners  Give  Way  to  Sixteen  Supervisors  as  the  Governing 
Force — More  Officers  Always  Mean  More  Cost  and  More  Reve- 
nue and  Sometimes  Better  Government — Not  Always. 

Mr.  Supervisor,  step  in  and  try  your  skill, 

And  give  our  county  craft  a  "bout." 
If,  after  a  test,  your  "try"  proves  ill. 

Then,  Mr.  Sup.,  please  "step  down  and  out." 

And  do  not  place  yourself  in  the  category  of 

one  of  old,  who 
Dressed  with  a  little  brief  authority. 

Cut  such  antics  as  to  make  the  angels  weep." 

Jefferson  county  got  along  fairly  well  under  the  County  Com- 
missioner system  for  about  fifty  years,  and  perhaps  cheaper  than 
we  do  under  the  township  plan.  But  the  idea  of  local  self-govern- 
ment was  lost  sight  of,  and  the  people  felt  they  were  not  up-to-date 
along  this  line.  They  seemed  to  think  that  they  ought  to  have  a  Coun- 
ty Legislature  or  Congress — just  as  the  state  and  nation  have — so  in 
1869,  they  voted  in  the  township  system  and  no  doubt  it  has  come 
to  stay.  It  is  claimed  that  the  benefits  accruing  to  the  townships, 
locally  fully  compensate  for  the  increased  cost  of  "running  the  ma- 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  185 

chinery,"  and  this  perhaps  is  so,  in  the  matter  of  caring  for  the  poor 
of  the  township  and  in  securing  county  help  for  building  bridges, 
etc.  But  in  the  matter  of  making  better  roads,  there  has  been  very 
little  improvement  over  the  old  system.  However,  "the  people 
rule"  and  all  this  is  the  result  of  their  rule,  so  we  pass  the  subject 
without  further  comment.  Jefferson  county  has  sixteen  townships, 
all  equal  in  territory — six  miles  square — and  briefly,  we  will  notice 
them  in  regular  order,  beginning  in  the  northwest  corner  of  the 
county  with 

GRAND  PRAIRIE  TOWNSHIP. 

This  township  has  Marion  county  on  the  north  and  Washing- 
ton county  on  the  west,  Rome  and  Casner  townships  east  and  south. 
Most  of  its  lands  are  prairie,  with  surface  sufficiently  rolling  to  af- 
ford drainage  without  artificial  means,  the  principal  streams  being 
tributaries  to  Big  Muddy,  Ray's  creek  and  other  small  streams. 
It  is  a  splendid  farming  and  stock-raising  region  and  can  boast  of 
some  of  the  finest  farms  and  some  of  the  most  prosperous  farmers 
in  the  county.  Among  the  first  settlers  were  Abraham  Casey,  James 
Ray,  the  Baldridges,  the  Breezes,  William  Fulton,  Stephen  Cam- 
eron, French,  Roberts,  Taylor,  Depriest,  Bangamon,  Woods, 
Reilly,  Poston,  Clark  Casey  and  others.  The  first  named  was  a 
brother  to  Governor  Casey.  These  original  settlers  gave  Grand 
Prairie  a  good  name  for  intelligence,  sobriety  and  industry,  and 
these  characteristics  have  been  prominent  with  the  citizens  of  the 
township  through  all  these  years.  It  was  the  first  township  in  the 
county  to  cut  loose  from  the  bourbons  and  assert  itself  along  new 
political  lines.  Its  first  marriage  was  that  of  Clark  Casey 
and  Polly  Bangamon,  the  ceremony  being  performed  by 
Governor  Casey.  The  first  death  was  that  of  Joseph  Bald- 
ridge.        At    first    the    people    voted    at    Mount    Vernon,    but 


J%  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

later  Grand  Prairie  precinct  was  formed,  with  voting  place 
at  Paston's  Mill.  Religious  services  were  held  from  house 
to  house  till  Pisgah  and  Gilead  churches  were  built.  The  first 
supervisor  after  the  adoption  of  township  organization,  was  Joseph 
Breeze.  There  is  no  village  in  Grand  Prairie,  but  it  is  near  Cen- 
tralia  in  Marion  and  Richview  and  Irvington  are  close  by,  in  Wash- 
ington county. 

CASNER  TOWNSHIP. 

This  township  lies  south  of  Grand  Prairie,  along  the  Wash- 
ington county  line  and  contains  fine  farming  lands.  Originally  it 
was  mostly  timber,  but  of  the  best  varieties,  oak,  walnut,  hickory, 
ash,  cherry — with  hazel,  sumach,  etc.  It  has  the  same  streams  as 
Grand  Prairie.  Among  the  first  settlers  was  George  Casner,  for 
whom  the  township  was  named.  He  raised  a  large  family  and  died 
only  a  few  years  ago,  leaving  his  widow  on  the  old  farm.  Con- 
temporary with  him,  came  Howell,  Clark,  Burris,  Patterson,  Creel, 
Daniels,  the  Laceys,  John  Holt,  Walter  Bean,  the  Champs  and 
others  whose  names  are  linked  with  the  history  of  Casner  township. 
At  first  the  people  beat  their  meal  with  pestle  in  little  mortars,  but 
the  Caseys  put  up  a  little  mill  and  worked  by  hand  that  would  grind 
a  bushel  or  two  a  day,  which  was  a  vast  improvement.  Mr.  Car- 
roll ran  a  mill  near  the  west  side  of  the  township.  One  of  the  first 
roads  through  the  township  was  the  Shawneetown  and  St.  Louis 
road  coming  through  Mount  Vernon.  The  first  school-houses  and 
churches  were  rude  affairs,  but  back  of  these,  religious  services  were 
held  at  private  houses,  until  Reynold's  chapel  was  erected.  Rey- 
nolds professed  religion  as  he  died  and  the  chapel  was  named  for 
him.  The  votmg  place  is  at  Roachville  on  the  Louisville  &  Nash- 
ville Railroad,  and  the  result  is  always  a  rock-ribbed  Democratic 
majority — in  fact,  it  has  been  said  that  it  would  be  easy  for  An- 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO..   ILL.  187 

drew  Jackson  and  Stephen  A.  Douglas  to  be  elected  to  any  office  in 
Casner  township,  from  President  to  constable.  Roachville,  the  cap- 
ital of  Casner,  is  in  the  south  part  of  the  township,  but  it  proved  to 
be  too  far  from  Mount  Vernon  and  too  close  to  Ashley  ever  to 
amount  to  much.  The  first  supervisor  was  E.  V.  Harvey.  Among 
the  prominent  citizens  have  been  the  Champs,  Laceys,  Schmidts, 
Clarks,  Bledsoes,  Severs,  Carrolls,  Morgans,  Watkins,  Moores, 
and  others  whom  we  do  not  now  recall.  Casner  is  a  splendid  farm- 
ing region;  is  well  adapted  to  fruit,  grain  and  stock  raising,  with  a 
little  less  bourbonism  and  a  few  grains  more  enterprise,  energy  and 
snap — a  good  seasoning  of  ginger — Casner  would  surprise  the  other 
parts  of  the  county  with  her  wonderful  development.  The  Chicago, 
Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad  taps  Casner. 

BLISSVILLE  TOWNSHIP 

is  the  next  in  order,  lying  south  of  Casner  on  the  Washington  line. 
We  cannot  give  the  history  of  these  townships  as  we  would  like, 
but  must  confine  our  remarks  largely  to  actual  conditions,  which  is 
more  important  for  their  future  welfare.  Blissville  township  dates 
back  to  1822-3,  when  Sherman  Ross  and  Jesse  Greene  "squatted' 
there,  another  township  of  excellent  land,  part  prairie  and  part 
timber,  much  the  same  as  the  foregoing  townships.  Knob  Prairie 
lies  in  the  south  part  and  was  so  named  from  the  high  knob  just 
north  of  Waltonville.  The  streams  named  at  first,  still  follow  us. 
Jesse  A.  Dees,  an  unique  character,  was  among  the  first  settlers. 
He  could  neither  read  nor  write,  but  he  could  count,  and  became 
quite  wealthy  in  his  day.  His  life  could  only  be  told  in  a  biography 
and  we  must  pass  it.  The  Hirons,  the  Gilberts,  the  Fairchilds,  the 
Places,  the  Seiberts,  the  Johnsons,  the  Robinsons,  the  Mannens, 
the  Norrises,  the  McConneheys,  the  Laurs,  the  Hicks,  and  many 


188  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

others  came  soon  after  and  have  helped  make  the  township  as  de- 
sirable a  place  to  live  as  any  other  township  in  the  county.  The 
township  was  named  for  Augustus  Bliss,  who  died  with  cholera  at 
an  early  day.  Religious  and  school  matters  had  an  even  start  with 
the  township,  but  as  elsewhere,  services  were  held  in  private  homes, 
until  Grand  Ann  church  was  built  and  the  log  school-houses  raised. 
The  first  school-house  was  near  Eli  Gilbert's.  Zion  church  is  in 
the  northern  part  and  there  is  a  Methodist  church  at  old  Williams- 
burg. This  place  was  started  before  war  times  and  until  the  build- 
ing of  the  Chester  &  Wabash  road,  promised  to  become  a  booming 
town;  then  the  business  moved  to  the  new  town,  Waltonville,  and 
Williamsburg  went  into  decline.  For  the  most  of  the  time,  Wilson 
Robinson  kept  the  post-office  and  moved  it  to  Waltonville  at  the 
opening  of  the  road.  While  at  Williamsburg  it  was  called  Laur 
in  honor  of  Capt.  Joe  Laur  of  the  Forty-ninth  Regiment.  The 
early  history  of  these  townships  were  so  similar  that  it  is  unnecces- 
sary  for  us  to  specialize.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  Blissville  is  one 
of  our  very  best  townships,  with  a  grand  future  before  it. 

BALD  HILL  TOWNSHIP. 

Next  south  of  Blissville  and  bordering  on  Washington,  Frank- 
lin and  Perry  counties,  is  also  a  desirable  agricultural  region,  with 
surface  somewhat  more  broken  than  the  others,  but  with  equally 
good  land,  with  a  large  growth  of  timber  of  the  kind  to  prove  it. 
Being  remote  from  trails  and  towns,  this  township  was  slow  in  set- 
tling up.  Among  the  first  settlers  were  A.  McGinnis,  John  Tur- 
man,  James  Bellows,  Willis  Hardwick,  the  Smiths,  the  Scroggins, 
Irvins,  Morgans,  Goddards,  etc.  This  region  was  so  wild  that  the 
game  was  a  menace  to  the  pioneers,  instead  of  a  help  as  in  some 
other  parts.     When  corn  or  other  things  were  planted,  they  were 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  189 

subject  to  be  attacked  by  crows,  blackbirds  and  squirrels,  and  when 
further  advanced  wild  geese  and  turkeys  tried  to  finish  up  the  job. 
Deer  and  wolves  and  even  panthers  were  a  little  too  common  for 
the  comfort  and  ease  of  women  and  children.  The  first  comers 
had  even  harder  times  than  others  in  securing  bread-stuffs,  and 
many  hollowed  out  the  tops  of  stumps  and  beat  their  corn  into  mush 
material.  These  people  had  to  depend  upon  their  own  resources 
for  the  necessaries  of  life.  Buckskin  breeches  and  shirts  were  as 
common  as  over-alls  are  now,  and  the  women  wore  the  same  hnsey 
dress  the  year  round.  Originally  this  was  part  of  Elk  Prairie,  but 
when  township  organization  came  it  became  Bald  Hill  township. 
John  B.  Ward  was  its  first  supervisor.  It  used  to  be  another  Demo- 
cratic stronghold,  but  of  late  years  it  has  generally  been  Republican 
by  a  small  majority,  and  is  taking  on  all  the  modern  improvements 
of  the  day.  Since  the  building  of  the  Mount  Vernon  &  Chester 
Railroad,  two  good  towns  have  come  into  existence — Waltonville, 
which  is  now  a  bright  business  town  of  several  hundred  inhabitants, 
with  up-to-date  business  (right  on  the  Blissville  line)  and  Sheller, 
another  bright  little  town,  a  mile  or  so  from  the  resort  known  as 
Sheller  Lake.  Both  of  these  towns  are  doing  big  business  in  all 
lines,  including  the  buying  and  shipping  of  stock — Sheller  has  a 
large  Catholic  church  (Polanders),  besides  others,  and  Walton- 
ville has  a  Universalist,  a  Methodist  and  Baptist  church  and  the 
township  has  its  full  quota  of  school-houses. 

ROME   TOWNSHIP. 

Rome  township  adjoins  Grand  Prairie  on  the  east  and  Marion 
county  on  the  north.  Its  surface  is  partly  prairie  and  partly  tim- 
ber and  its  soil  is  quite  productive.  It  is  traversed  by  a  branch  of 
the  Big  Muddy  and  its  principal  prairie  is  Jordan's  Prairie  and  the 
town  of  Rome  (since  the  railroad  came,  it  is  called  Dix)  is  in  the 


190  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

north  edge  of  it.  The  township  was  supposed  to  be  settled  by  the 
Maxwells,  Goins,  Whitesides,  Taylors,  M.  D.  Bruce  and  Arba 
Andrews.  The  last  named  built  the  first  mill.  Originally  this  town- 
ship was  included  in  Grand  Prairie  precinct,  but  on  the  adoption 
of  township  organization  G.  L.  Cummings  was  elected  its  first 
supervisor  and  since  then,  it  has  been  represented  by  such  men  as  the 
Boggs,  the  Whites,  the  Telfords,  the  Caseys,  the  Gastons,  the 
Hawkms,  the  Maxfields,  the  Milburns,  the  Rileys,  the  Clayborns, 
the  Carpenters,  the  Wards,  and  many  others  we  might  name.  The 
village  of  Rome  was  laid  out  in  1849  by  Arba  Andrews,  and  lots 
sold  quite  readily  at  small  prices  and  the  first  business  was  a  grocery 
by  John  Bostwick,  but  other  business  followed  and  the  town  was 
put  on  the  map  to  stay.  Rome  has  its  history  same  as  Rome  of 
old,  but  we  cannot  go  into  detail.  A  school-house  and  two  churches 
were  soon  built  and  Rome  went  to  housekeeping  at  home.  It  is  the 
voting  place  and  headquarters  politically  and  socially  for  the  town- 
ship, has  village  incorporation,  has  several  benevolent  orders,  be- 
sides its  two  churches.  The  township  now  has  its  full  quota  of 
school-houses  and  its  regulation  number  of  politicians — so  many  in 
fact  that  recently  another  voting  place  had  to  be  established  in 
the  township  to  give  them  all  a  chance  to  vote.  Politic- 
ally, however,  the  parties  are  about  equally  divided  in 
the  township,  but  most  generally  Democratic.  The  South- 
ern (or  Air  Line)  Railroad  traverses  the  township  from 
north  to  south  and  it  has  plenty  of  roads  and  bridges. 
Newton  Frost  and  Henry  Posten  are  old  residents  here. 

SHILOH  TOWNSHIP. 

This  township  lies  next  west  of  Mount  Vernon  and  south  of 
Rome  and  was  settled  about  the  same  time.  It  was  mostly  timber  at 
the  start,  but  has  a  good  productive  soil,  somewhat  broken  in  places. 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO..   ILL.  191 

but  nearly  all  susceptible  of  cultivation.  It  is  watered  and  drained 
by  the  west  fork  of  Big  Muddy — or  Casey's  fork.  All  kinds  of 
grains,  vegetables  and  fruits  are  produced  from  Shiloh  soil.  The 
very  first  settler  is  said  to  have  been  Zadok  Casey,  soon  joined  by 
other  Caseys,  the  Maxeys,  the  Johnsons,  Depriests,  Tylers,  the 
Mosses,  the  Frosts,  the  Paynes,  the  Pierceys,  the  Galbraiths,  the 
McMeens,  Greers,  Webbs,  etc.  The  township  has  paid  consider- 
able attention  to  stock  raising  and  the  Moss  family  were  the  first 
to  import  improved  stock,  followed  by  many  others.  In  matters  edu- 
cational and  religious,  Shiloh  has  always  been  considered  the  leader 
and  example,  whilst  others  have  followed.  It  had  the  first  and  best 
schools  and  churches  and  from  the  very  start,  Shiloh  seemed  well 
supplied  with  teachers  and  preachers.  Woodlawn,  a  lively  village 
on  the  Louisville  &  Nashville  Railroad,  lies  principally  in  Shiloh 
township  (it  laps  over  a  little  into  Casner)  and  is  a  town  of  good 
business  interests  and  two  railroads,  for  it  now  has  a  line  of  the 
great  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  running  through  it  north  and 
south.  It  formerly  had  a  line  from  the  Louisville  &  Nashville 
northwardly  through  its  territory,  but  it  was  taken  up  and  the  "Q" 
built  instead.  Woodlawn  is  not  slow  in  anything  she  undertakes, 
and  among  other  things  has  furnished  us  two  state  Senators  in  the 
persons  of  Senators  Watson  and  Payne,  and  now  she  has  just  fur- 
nished us  a  Representative  in  the  person  of  her  postmaster,  Hon. 
George  B.  Welborn.  Woodlawn  is  an  incorporated  village  and  has 
her  local  institutions  just  like  other  towns.  It  is  the  capital  of  Shiloh 
township  (a  capital  township)  and  both  are  in  the  capital  county 
of  Jefferson.  Capt.  John  R.  Moss  was  the  first  Supervisor  of  Shiloh. 
Elsewhere  we  have  spoken  of  the  prominent  men  Shiloh  has  pro- 
duced. 


192  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL. 

MCCLELLAN   TOWNSHIP 

lies  south  of  Shiloh.  It  is  both  prairie  and  woodland,  soil  much 
the  same  as  the  others,  watered  by  branch  of  the  Big  Muddy. 
A  son  of  Thomas  Hicks  was  born  here  m  181  7 — supposed  to  be  the 
first  white  child  born  in  what  is  now  Jefferson  county.  John  Lee, 
Israel  Lanier,  John  Stillwell,  James  Dickens,  Jonathan  Wells,  and 
the  Bodines,  the  Osborns,  the  Hayes,  the  Quinns  came  in  and  com- 
pleted the  settlement.  Among  the  first  improvements  were  roads  and 
mills.  Jonathan  Wells  put  up  the  first  mill — capacity,  two  bushels 
per  day.  Education  and  religious  matters  were  next  to  receive  at- 
tention. The  first  teacher  was  Judge  D.  Baugh,  who  taught  in  a 
log  house  on  John  Lee's  farm.  This  log  house  was  used  for  a 
church,  also.  Later  the  Christians  built  a  nice  church  at  Wolf 
Prairie  and  there  the  Methodists,  Baptists  and  Universalists  all  wor- 
shipped along  with  the  Christians — a  very  good  way  to  show  that 
they  are  Christians.  McClellan  township  now  has  two  railroads — 
the  Mount  Vernon  &  Chester  and  the  Chicago,  Burlington  & 
Quincy — running  through  it,  with  good  stopping  places  on  both 
lines,  but  no  town  of  any  importance.  It  is  thoroughly  agricultural 
and  Democratic  to  the  core.  Its  first  Supervisor  was  W.  A.  Davis, 
Agriculturally  speaking,  McClellan  is  hard  to  beat.  It  is  the  home 
of  the  Davises,  Lords,  McLaughlins,  Grays,  Howes,  Laceys  and 
other  prominent  families. 

ELK  PRAIRIE  TOWNSHIP 

lies  next  south  of  McClellan,  borders  on  Franklin  county,  and 
has  good  farming  lands.  Big  Muddy  creek  and  other  streams  make 
part  of  it  quite  broken.  A  great  many  elk  horns  were  found  in  this 
territory  and  hence  the  name.  Elk  Prairie.    Among  the  first  settlers 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  193 

were  the  Stephensons,  the  Whitmans,  the  Laniers,  Kings,  the  Teet- 
ers, the  Martins,  Cochrans,  the  Holders,  the  Wilbanks,  the  Pickets 
and  the  Andersons,  Robinsons,  Bodines,  Petersons  and  Masons, 
Like  others.  Elk  Prairie  suffered  for  mill  facilities  and 
roads.  Religious  and  educational  interests  were  allowed  to  sleep 
for  a  while  but  when  they  did  come  to  the  front,  they  both  made 
good  headway  and  today  they  make  a  favorable  showing  with  other 
parts  of  the  county.  We  notice  a  neat  Methodist  and  good  Chist- 
ian  church  near  Dareville.  The  town  of  Winfield  was  in  Horse 
Prairie  which  extended  into  this  township,  laid  out  by  Doctor  Gee 
and  a  Mr.  Graham.  Isaac  Boswell,  Isaac  Clampet  and  John 
Knowles  did  business  there.  Doctor  Gee  married  J.  J.  Fitzgerrell's 
daughter  and  began  practice  there,  but  soon  moved  to  his  farm.  A 
good  church  and  school-house  was  built  and  Elk  Prairie  began  to 
"show  up."  Col.  G.  W.  Evans,  of  the  Sixtieth  Regiment,  was  its 
first  Supervisor.  It  is  another  splendid  township,  both  in  land  and 
people.  Mr.  Robinson  still  lives  on  the  farm  he  settled  sixty  years 
ago. 

FIELD   TOWNSHIP 

is  bordered  on  the  north  by  Marion  county,  west  by  Rome  town- 
ship^ — both  timber  and  prairie,  good  soil  and  a  fair  class  of  farmers. 
Casey's  Fork  and  East  creek  are  the  principal  streams,  with  others 
amply  sufficient  for  drainage.  It  has  no  railroads  nor  public  works,  is 
simply  agricultural.  Among  its  first  settlers  were  the  Fields,  for 
whom  the  township  was  named.  There  were  Nathan,  James  and 
Henry.  Thomas  Jordan  came  early  and  kept  tavern  on  the  old 
Goshen  road  which  ran  through  the  township.  James  Foster,  Max- 
well and  Dave  Garrison  were  soon  here  and  Alfred  Finn,  John  and 
Ben  Hawkins,  D.  Easley,  were  of  the  first  settlers.  John  McCon- 
nell,  a  Mexican  soldier,  was  a  great  stock  raiser  and  noted  farmer 

13 


194  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,    ILL. 

of  this  township.  The  township  is  well  supplied  with  school-houses 
and  churches  and  the  citizenship  of  the  township  is  a  good  average 
of  any  other  in  the  county.  John  McConnell  was  its  first  Supervisor. 
Its  present  prominent  people  are  the  Garrisons,  the  Rollisons,  the 
Hawkins,  the  Simmons,  the  Browns,  the  Howards,  the  Wimberlys, 
the  Raynors,  the  Padgets,  the  Fraziers  and  others  too  numerous  to 
mention.  Oak  Grove,  Baptists,  Mount  Zion,  Methodist,  Panther 
Fork  churches  and  another  now  building,  show  that  the  people  of 
Field  are  keeping  up  with  the  procession,  religiously,  with  school- 
houses  plentiful.  Texico,  a  nice  little  business  place,  is  the  capital, 
located  on  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Railroad,  near  the  county  line. 

MOUNT  VERNON  TOWNSHIP, 

from  which  we  have  already  drawn  much  information  given 
in  other  chapters,  contains  the  county  seat  of  the  same  name,  and  it 
will  not  be  necessary  to  say  much  here.  Only  that  the  present  city 
of  Mount  Vernon,  which  was  not  even  laid  out  or  platted  when  we 
began  this  history,  lies  in  the  southwest  corner  of  the  township  with 
a  disposition  to  "slop-over"  into  both  Shiloh  and  Dodds  townships, 
having  reached  the  line  of  both  by  new  additions.  We  have  al- 
ready given  account  of  the  doings  of  its  first  inhabitants  and  as  the 
election  just  held  shows  that  it  contains  about  one-third  of  the  vote 
cast  in  the  county  and  no  doubt  one-third  of  the  wealth,  we  will 
make  no  attempt  in  this  place  to  "show  "  what  it  is  doing,  but  will 
pass  on.  Mount  Vernon  township  has  three  Assistant  Supervisors, 
Will  Reid  IS  Supervisor. 

DODDS  TOWNSHIP. 

Next  township  south  of  Mount  Vernon.  Dodds  is  principally 
down  in  the  timber,  as  there  is  very  little  prairie  but  lots  of  creek 
bottom  in  her  territory,  but  no  better  or  more  productive  land  in  the 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  195 

whole  county.  It  is  tradition  that  the  township  was  named  for 
James  Dodds,  who  came  to  these  native  wilds  in  1818,  and  perhaps 
built  the  first  cabin  in  the  township.  Joseph  Jordan  settled  the 
Isaac  Garrison  place  at  the  parting  of  the  Benton  and  McLeans- 
boro  roads.  This  place  was  transferred  to  the  Frizzles  and  many 
will  remember  the  sad  event  of  nearly  the  whole  family  dying  with 
cholera  in  1847,  and  of  their  being  buried  at  Old  Union.  And 
then  the  farm  went  into  the  hands  of  Isaac  Garrison,  then  came 
Doctor  Adams,  who  afterwards  figured  in  county  matters ;  then  Frank 
Hicks;  he  was  the  father  of  J.  R.  P.  Hicks,  who  was 
chosen  School  Commissioner  of  Jefferson  county.  Then  came  Stephen 
Arnold,  then  Absalom  Estes,  from  whence  all  the  Esteses  spring; 
then  Joseph  Pace,  twin-brother  of  the  County  Clerk,  Joel;  then 
came  the  Rogerses,  William  Davis,  David  Shaffer;  the  latter  put 
up  a  horse  mill;  also  Frank  Hicks  did  the  same.  Isaac  Watson 
was  one  of  the  pioneers,  of  what  was  then  Jackson  precinct,  now 
Dodds  township.  W.  T.  Sanders  taught  school  in  a  log  house  built 
OR  government  land.  Rev.  Rhodam  and  George  Allen  (the  latter 
father  of  John  R.  and  Thomas  Allen),  held  meeting  in  the  cabins 
of  Jackson  precinct.  A  Methodist  church  was  organized  at  an  early 
day.  Joel  Pace,  John  Rogers,  Will  Edgington  and  James  Brad- 
ford were  members.  The  first  voting  place  was  the  old  Dodds 
house.  John  Baugh  and  H.  Gorham  were  the  first  justices  of  the 
peace.  R.  D.  Roane  was  the  first  Supervisor.  Capt.  Samuel  Gib- 
son, now  retired,  of  Mount  Vernon,  was  for  many  years  a  valued 
citizen  of  Doods  township  and  improved  his  surroundings  by  im- 
porting and  selling  good  stock.  Politically,  Dodds  is  almost  a 
"stand-off,"  but  generally  gives  a  Republican  majority. 

SPRING  GARDEN   TOWNSHIP 

joins    Dodds    on    the  north    and  Franklin  county    on  the    south. 
It  is  another  good  township  and  many  good  farms  are  seen  in  all 


196  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

directions.  Some  fruit  is  raised  and  much  more  might  be  raised  to 
good  advantage,  as  the  soil  down  there  will  produce  almost  any- 
thing. The  settlement  of  Spring  Garden  dates  back  ninety  years. 
Among  the  early  settlers  we  mention  the  Smiths,  the  Hoppers,  who 
came  in  1816,  Atchisons,  James  Burchell,  Wiley  Prigmore,  Uriah 
Compton,  John  Hull,  Nat  Wyatt,  Thomas  Softly,  Matthew  Kirk, 
James  McCann,  William  Harmon,  the  Sweetens,  Parretts,  etc. 
Many  descendants  of  these  pioneers  are  still  in  the  vicinity  with 
descendants  of  their  own,  doing  well.  Schools  and  religious  meet- 
ings were  held  around  the  neighborhood,  as  at  first  in  other  town- 
ships, but  school-houses  and  churches  soon  sprang  up  and  now  the 
territory  is  lined  with  them.  The  fact  is,  Spring  Garden  has  all 
kinds  of  religion,  including  the  brand  known  as  "none  whatever." 
W.  S.  Bumpus  was  the  first  Supervisor.  The  village  of  Spring 
Garden  was  laid  out  in  1 848  and  was  getting  to  be  quite  a  town, 
when  a  few  years  ago  the  Chicago,  Eastern  &  Illinois  Railroad  was 
built  through  the  township  and  missed  the  old  town  and  the  new 
town  of  Ina  sprung  up  and  captured  most  of  the  trade  and  took 
the  lead.  So  now  Spring  Garden  has  two  well-equipped  towns  and 
a  railroad  and  is  forging  to  the  front  in  enterprise  as  well  as  in  edu- 
cation and  religious  matters.  It  still  sticks  to  its  Democracy.  The 
town  of  Bonnie  is  located  near  the  Dodds  and  Spring  Garden  line 
and  is  the  seat  of  the  popular  Bonnie  camp-meeting  grounds.  Bon- 
nie has  churches,  school-houses  and  a  good  business. 

FARRINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 

The  first  settlers  of  Farrington  township  were  more  disposed 
to  hunt  than  to  farm,  for  there  was  sure  to  be  captured  by  hunting 
more  than  by  farming;  but  while  they  had  all  the  fresh  meat  they 
could  eat  and  then  some,  they  had  to  hunt  for  bread-stuff  to  go  with 
it.  Farrington  is  in  the  northeast  corner  of  the  county,  bordering 
on  Marion  county  north  and  Wayne  county  east — mostly  wood- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  197 

land,  but  some  of  the  richest  earth  in  the  whole  county.  Adams 
Fork  and  Horse  creek  are  its  principal  watercourses.  Its  people 
are  farmers  and  stock  raisers.  Among  its  first  settlers  were  the 
Wells,  the  Gregorys,  Haynes.  W.  B.  Johnson,  Joseph  Norman  and 
others.  Some  of  these  families  accumulated  large  bodies  of  land 
and  the  Gregorys  owned  at  one  time  nearly  two  thousand  acres  of 
as  good  land  as  could  be  found.  Doctor  Gregory  was  a  typical  pio- 
neer character  and  we  have  heard  him  tell  of  collecting  the  taxes 
in  Farrington  when  the  coon  skins  and  deer  hides  were  a  legal  ten- 
der and  how  the  people  paid  these  in  for  taxes.  The  first  citizens 
were  of  the  home-spun,  rugged,  out-spoken  order,  and  there  has  been 
no  very  great  change  in  this  respect  in  the  township  even  to  this  day. 
Of  course,  they  were  favorable  to  school  and  churches,  but  they 
didn't  stop  their  other  avocations  at  their  expense.  The  first  roads 
through  the  township  were  the  Mount  Vernon  and  Maysville  and 
Xenia  roads.  The  first  Supervisor  was  M.  A.  Morrison.  The  vil- 
lage of  Farrington  was  laid  out  in  1856,  on  Jehu  J.  Maxey's  land 
and  Lear,  Abe  Casey,  Drs.  Johnson  and  Bradford,  Munsell,  In- 
galls,  some  more  of  the  Maxeys,  W.  L.  Young  and  others  helped 
boost  it  along,  but  notwithstanding  the  good  men  and  the  beautiful 
location,  the  town  finally  went  down.  Loganville  was  laid  out,  but 
never  materialized.  The  Johnsons,  Morrisons,  Greens,  Wilsons, 
Youngs,  Burks,  Brookmans,  Donahoos,  and  that  class  of  substantial 
citizens  are  now  holding  up  the  interests  of  Farrington  township. 
It  is  about  evenly  divided  politically.  It  is  certainly  a  good  town- 
ship. 

WEBBER  TOWNSHIP. 

This  township  lies  south  of  Farrington.  The  surface  is  some- 
what broken — mostly  timber.  Puncheon  creek.  Four  Mile,  Bear 
creek  and  Five  Mile  creek  traverse  the  township  and  these  nearly 
all  empty  into  the  Skillet  Fork  and  Wabash  rivers  on  the  east. 


198  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL. 

Among  the  pioneers  were  Norton,  Isaac  Casey,  Daniel  Scott,  Ward 
Webber,  H.  Wade,  William  Dale,  Peter  Bruce,  Alex  Moore, 
James  Archie,  William  Green,  the  Hunts,  Browns,  Davises.  Web- 
ber settled  on  the  Fairfield  road,  but  finally  located  at  Lynchburg. 
The  first  roads  were  the  Mount  Vernon  and  Fairfield,  and  Black 
Oak  Ridge  roads  and  then  the  East  Long  Prairie  road.  The  first 
Supervisor  was  S.  V.  Bruce,  followed  by  the  Harlows,  Marlows, 
Esmans,  Moores,  Newtons,  etc.  Schools  and  churches  came  along 
as  fast  as  demanded  and  now  the  people  are  well  supplied  with 
these.  The  Southern  Railroad  (Air  Line)  passes  through  Webber 
township  from  east  to  west.  There  are  two  towns  on  the  road — 
Bluford  and  Marlow.  Bluford  has  the  lead  and  is  becoming  a 
town  of  importance,  with  much  and  increasing  business.  It  is  eight 
miles  from  Mount  Vernon.  Marlow  being  located  between  these 
points  can  never  be  much  of  a  trading  point ;  still  considerable  busi- 
ness is  transacted  there  in  the  way  of  shipping  fruit,  stock,  etc.  This 
was  the  home  of  the  Marlows,  most  of  whom  have  passed,  and  Dr. 
Newton,  the  principal  man  of  the  town  has  retired  and  lives  in 
Mount  Vernon.  Charles  Stephenson,  a  young  man,  is  now  the 
postmaster  and  chief  bugler  of  the  town.  Much  of  Webber  town- 
ship history  is  unwritten.     Its  oldest  inhabitant  died  early  in  1909. 

PENDLETON  TOWNSHIP, 

next  south  of  Webber,  is  one  of  the  best  townships  in  Jef- 
ferson county.  It  largely  lies  in  Moore's  Prairie,  which  has  always 
been  considered  the  cream  land  of  the  county ;  besides  this  was  the 
very  first  settled  part  of  the  county.  School  and  churches  came 
early  and  have  been  in  business  all  of  these  years  with  increasing 
zeal  and  usefulness,  and  if  every  family  is  not  benefited  by  them, 
it  is  their  own  fault.  The  first  town  laid  out  was  Lynchburg  and  it 
had  much  business  until  the  Louisville  &  Nashville  Railroad  came 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  199 

along  and  the  towns  of  Opdyke  and  Belle  Rive  were  started.  Col- 
onel Hicks,  Dick  Lyon,  Doctor  Gray  and  other  old  citizens  did 
business  in  Lynchburg.  Jonathan  Beliew  was  one  of  the  first  citizens, 
but  he  stole  a  horse,  sold  it  in  Fairfield,  was  captured  and  put  in  the 
old  log  jail  east  of  the  court-house;  escaped;  recaptured;  escaped 
again  and  remained  escaped.  When  the  railroad  came,  the  busi- 
ness men  of  Lynchburg  went  to  Belle  Rive  and  Opdyke.  Belle 
Rive  was  laid  out  in  1871  and  had  for  its  first  citizens,  Jesse  Laird, 
the  owner  of  the  land,  Hughey  Eaton,  Howard  Bondinot  Chaney, 
Grimes,  Guthrie,  Seeley,  Hunter,  Davenport,  Yeakley,  Miller, 
Buchanan,  Ross,  Waters  and  a  host  of  others.  But  Belle  Rive  al- 
lowed Dahlgren,  across  the  line  in  Hamilton  county,  to  get  ahead 
of  it  in  business — still  Belle  Rive  is  a  desirable  place  to  live.  It 
has  churches,  schools,  lodges  and  good  society.  Opdyke  was  also 
laid  off  in  1871  and  has  not  been  idle  in  the  way  of  building  up  and 
improving.  Its  first  people  were  Doctors  Stonemetz  and  Montgomery, 
the  Jones,  Estes,  Phillips,  Keller,  Alexander,  Adams,  Allen,  etc. 
Among  the  first  things  came  school-houses  and  churches  and  no 
part  of  the  county  is  better  equipped  with  these  than  is  Opdyke  and 
Pendleton  township.  Opdyke  has  all  the  modern  improvements  and 
is  considered  a  pleasant  suburb  to  Mount  Vernon — the  King  City 
of  Southern  Illinois.  The  interests  and  population  of  Pendleton 
have  grown  so  fast  that  there  are  two  voting  places  now — one  at 
Opdyke  and  one  at  Belle  Rive.  The  township  generally  gives  a 
Republican  majority.  W.  A.  Jones  was  Pendleton's  first  Super- 
visor. 

moore's  prairie  township. 

In  the  early  history  of  Moore's  Prairie,  the  history  of  the  whole 
was  so  interwoven  that  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish  between  what  is 
now  Pendleton  and  Moore's  Prairie  townships,  but  for  the  geo- 


200  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO..   ILL. 

graphical  lines  dividing  them.  Moore's  Prairie  was  settled  first  of  all, 
but  Mount  Vernon  soon  drew  many  of  her  settlers  to  that  place  and 
the  real  occupancy  came  later.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Moore 
was  the  first  settler.  He  went  to  the  nearest  mill,  thirty  miles  off, 
for  meal  and  was  never  heard  of  afterwards,  and  there  seemed  to  be 
no  doubt  that  he  was  murdered  by  the  Indians  who  then  in- 
fested the  country  around  there.  Among  the  first  settlers  of  the 
Prairie  were  the  well  known  people:  Wilkeys,  Atchisons.  Cren- 
shaws,  Irvins,  Cooks,  Q.  A.  Wilbanks,  C.  H.  Judd,  the  Kniffins, 
Smiths,  Birkheads,  Cofields,  McPhersons,  Hicks,  Aliens,  Zahns, 
Karns,  and  so  on  down.  Q.  A.  Wilbanks  was  the  first  Supervisor. 
He  was  also  Moore's  Prairies'  leading  merchant.  Everybody  remem- 
bers the  old  Wilbanks  stand,  where  all  the  political  meetings  used 
to  be  held.  After  the  railroad  came,  he  moved  his  store  to  Belle 
Rive.  Schools  and  churches  have  flourished  in  Moore's  Prairie 
ever  since  civilization  reached  it.  Moore's  Prairie  also  had  the  first 
good  roads  in  the  county  and  it  has  always  been  noted  for  its  good 
farms  and  intelligent  farmers.  Like  the  other  townships,  it  was  at 
first  Democratic,  but  of  late  years,  goes  Republican.  Moore's 
Prairie  will  hold  its  own  against  all  comers. 

So  much  for  the  townships.  It  would  have  been  a  pleasure  to 
have  enlarged  on  these  and  given  even  more  history,  but  each  town- 
ship and  its  interests  have  spread  out  so  that  it  is  impossible  to  tell 
the  whole  tale  in  one  book.  But  these  are  the  main  facts  to  be  treas- 
ured up  and  remembered.  Township  control  has  no  doubt  helped  in 
the  development  and  improvement  of  Jefferson  county  and  so  long 
as  the  people  select  good,  trustworthy  township  officers  the  interests 
of  the  whole  county  as  well  as  the  townships  are  subserved. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  MEDICAL  FRATERNITY  OF   MOUNT  VERNON. 

Their  Comings  and  Goings.  To  be  or  not  to  be — That's  the 
question?  Whether  it  is  best  to  bear  the  Ills  we  Have  or  Fly  to 
Those  we  Know  not  of? 

"Why  should  any  of  us  die — without  the  aid  of  a  doctor?" 

PHYSICIANS. 

As  noted  heretofore.  Dr.  John  Watson,  the  progenitor  of  the 
Watson  family,  was  the  first  doctor  to  locate  here — in  1821.  He 
had  but  little  to  do,  for  the  people  had  not  then  learned  to  be  sick 
or  feeble ;  and  besides,  there  were  but  few  people  to  get  sick. 

Other  so-called  doctors  came  and  went  during  the  early  period 
of  the  settlement  here,  but  as  they  did  not  leave  their  impresss  on 
any  of  the  sand-stone  monuments  of  that  day,  seems  to  evidence 
the  fact  that  they  had  but  little  business.  Dr.  J.  C.  Gray  came 
later  and  seemed  to  have  things  his  own  way  for  many  years.  He 
was  a  good  doctor  and  truly  a  unique  character.  Dr.  William  H. 
Short  was  another.  Both  practiced,  lived  and  died  here.  Doctor 
Gretham  came  from  Equality  and  Dr.  Thomas  Johnson,  "Uncle 
Jackey's"  oldest  son.  came  from  Kentucky  and  he  and  Gretham 
practiced  for  many  years  in  partnership,  but  both  passed  on. 

In  1 846,  Dr.  W.  Duff  Green  came  from  Kentucky.  His  fa- 
ther, of  the  same  name  and  profession,  came  with  him,  but  never 


202  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

practiced  here,  for  he  was  well  advanced  in  age  and  his  remains  re- 
pose in  Old  Union  cemetery.  Doctor  Green  was  thoroughly  edu- 
cated, was  a  school-mate  with  John  C.  Breckinridge.     He  practiced 
at  Hartford,  Kentucky,  before  coming  here.      He  then  practiced 
two  years  in  Pulaski,  Tennessee,  then  located  in  Mount  Vernon, 
where  he  had  not  only  Mount  Vernon  and  Jefferson  county,  as  his 
field  of  practice,  but  was  called  to  various  points  in  Southern  Illi- 
nois.    He  was  a  skilled  physician,  an  upright  man,  not  only  that 
he  walked  upright,  but  a  good  and  useful  citizen  in  every  respect. 
He  was  an  ardent  and  consistent  Democrat  of  the  old  school,  was 
quite  prominent  as  an  Odd  Fellow  and  reached  the  highest  places 
in  the  order.     He  was  noted  for  being  generous  and  zealous  in  be- 
nevolences, but  acted  through  organizations.     He  was  president  of 
the  original  Mount  Vernon  Railroad  Company  and  did  as  much 
as  any  one,  if  not  more,  to  secure  the  first  railroad  to  Mount  Vernon. 
To  him,  we  owe  all  the  eastern  part  of  Mount  Vernon,  as  the  land 
east  of  Eigth  street  all  belonged  to  him.     He  was  married  in  1 844 
to  a  Miss  Morton  at  Hartford,  Kentucky.     They  were  the  par- 
ents of  Morton  Green,  attorney  of  Gainsville,  Texas;  William  H., 
our  Mount  Vernon  attorney ;  Doctor  Earl,  of  our  city ;  Duff,  who 
died ;  and  the  Missess  Inez,  Laura  Cora,  Minnie  Madie — compos- 
ing one  of  the  most  affectionate  and  "inner"  home  circles  we  ever 
knew.     The  doctor's  wife  died  in  1902,  and  the  doctor  followed 
her  soon  afterward,  as  did  also  two  of  the  daughters. 

Dr.  H.  S.  Plummer  came  from  Ohio  in  the  fifties  and  es- 
tabhshed  himself  in  a  good  practice.  In  1860.  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Martha,  daughter  of  H.  T.  and  Nancy  Pace,  and  to  them 
have  been  born:  Mrs.  Kelley;  Raymond;  Mrs.  Lewis;  Mrs.  Omar 
Pace;  Mrs.  Oscar  Fly  and  Miss  Grace,  and  one  son.  Gales,  now 
in  business  elsewhere.  He  is  a  full-fledged  Republican  and  has 
served  as  Mayor  of  Mount  Vernon  and  in  other  positions.     He  also 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  203 

was  a  surgeon  in  the  army  and  at  one  time  was  in  charge  of  the 
hospital  at  Nashville,  Tennessee.  He  is  still  practicing  medicine 
at  the  age  of  eighty  years. 

Dr.  H.  J.  Peavler  was  another  unique  character  who  prac- 
ticed here  for  many  years  and  died  here.  His  widow  still  lives  at 
the  family  home  near  the  Supreme  Court  house. 

Dr.  John  N.  Johnson  was  one  of  the  old  line  doctors,  but  he 
was  generally  in  other  business  too  much  to  follow  his  profession. 
Dr.  W.  M.  A.  Maxey  and  Doctor  Frost,  above  town  also  looked 
after  the  sick  in  their  neighborhoods.  Other  doctors  came  and  went — 
perhaps  because  they  were  not  called  often  enough  to  insure  them  a 
living — hence  they  moved  on. 

Dr.  J.  W.  Hitchcock,  father  of  our  photopragher,  spent  his 
last  days  here,  but  did  not  practice  his  profession.  He  often  told 
the  writer  that  he  desired  to  die  without  the  aid  of  a  physician. 

THOSE  WHO  ARE  WITH  US  YET. 

Among  those  who  are  with  us  yet,  we  may  mention: 
DR.  J.  H.  MITCHELL,  son  of  Doctor  Mitchell,  of  Williamson 
county.  It  will  be  remembered  that  Miss  Moulton,  an  eastern  school 
teacher,  who  taught  here  in  the  fifties,  was  married  to  Doctor  Mitch- 
ell, Sr.,  and  took  charge  of  the  education  of  the  doctor's  large  family 
of  boys — and  everybody  says  she  made  a  good  job  of  it.  Dr.  John 
H.  is  one  of  those  boys,  and  is  too  well  known  to  require  eulogy 
here. 

DR.  EARL  GREEN,  son  of  Dr.  Duff  Green — a  "chip  off  the  old 
block" — a  graduate  of  the  medical  schools  and  has  attended  lec- 
tures in  Europe  as  well  as  America.  He  has  taken  his  father's 
place  in  the  profession  here,  and  is  reaching  out  after  greater  fields 
of  usefulness.     He  is  a  bachelor. 


204  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

DR.  WALTER  WATSON,  son  of  Joel  F.,  another  graduate  in 
medicine,  proved  himself  a  splendid  physician,  but  like  many  other 
professional  men,  took  more  to  politics  and  ease,  and  has  virtually 
abandoned  the  practice  and  is  looking  after  his  financial  interests, 
which  are  extensive. 

DRS.  GEE,  two  of  them,  father  and  son,  are  among  the  best 
doctors.  The  father.  Dr.  I.  G.  Gee,  some  years  ago  removed  here 
from  Winfield  in  the  south  part  of  the  county,  where  he  practiced 
his  profession  and  farmed-having  married  J.  J.  Fitzgerrell's  daugh- 
ter. Young  Doctor  Gee  married  Colonel  Evan's  daughter,  pays 
strict  attention  to  duty,  and  is  always  ready  for  business. 

DR.  J.  W.  HAMILTON  is  a  physician  in  the  prime  of  life  and  in 
the  prime  of  experience  in  his  line.  He  is  one  of  the  principal  sur- 
geons at  the  Mount  Vernon  hospital  and  one  of  the  upholders  of 
that  important  institution,  which  was  recently  burned  down,  but 
will  be  rebuilt  for  greater  usefulness.  Doctor  Hamilton  is  now  the 
principal  owner  of  the  hospital. 

DR.  HARDY  SWIFT,  of  the  hospital,  is  a  home  product,  son  of 
James  Swift,  an  old  citizen.  He  is  a  progressive,  wide-awake,  up-to- 
date  physician  and  has  his  eyes  fixed  toward  the  top  of  the  ladder. 

DR.  JUDSON  POOL,  another  aspiring  young  doctor,  is  earning 
fame  for  his  name  in  the  profession.  He  is  also  connected  with  the 
hospital  and  is  having  a  large  outside  practice.  He  is  a  son  of  an 
old  citizen,  W.  H.  Pool,  and  a  son-in-law  of  our  old  army  comrade, 
Pate  Daniels,  of  Waltonville. 

DR.  ANDY  HALL  is  more  advanced  in  age  and  experience,  hav- 
ing had  army  practice  as  well  as  general  practice  for  many  years. 
The  hospital  also  has  the  advantage  of  his  experience.  He  is  a  son 
of  Colonel  Hall,  of  Hamilton  county.  He  is  a  good  doctor.  The 
doctor  was  with  the  army  in  the  Philippines. 

CHARLES  HALL,  a  nephew  of  Doctor  Andy,  is  making  himself 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  205 

known  and  is  felt  in  the  practice  of  his  profession.  He  has  just  set 
sail  for  the  harbor  of  success,  and  was  recently  wedded  to  Miss 
Alice  Allen,  daughter  of  our  prominent  fellow-citizen,  John  Rhod- 
am  Allen,  a  son  of  the  late  George  W.  Allen. 

DR.  A.  M.  FROST.  For  more  than  half  a  century  Jefferson 
county  has  had  a  Doctor  Frost,  but  not  this  one.  He  has  recently  lo- 
cated here  and  is  a  descendant  of  the  old  Dr.  Frost.  He  is  full 
of  vigor  and  medical  lore  and  promises  to  keep  well  toward  the 
front  in  the  profession. 

DOCTOR  MORGAN  moved  here  from  Dahlgren  and  is  kept  rea- 
sonably busy  in  curing  the  ills  the  flesh  is  heir  to.  He  seems  to  be 
well  versed  in  his  profession  and,  as  he  says,  belives  in  mixing  com- 
mon sense  with  his  medicines.    His  popularity  is  on  the  increase. 

J.  W.  ROSS  came  from  Belle  Rive,  where  he  performed  well 
his  part  in  the  work  of  mercy,  which  is  a  leading  characteristic  of 
the  profession.  He  has  built  a  handsome  residence  on  West  Broad- 
way and  has  come  to  stay.     He  is  a  good  doctor. 

DOCTOR  LEVICK  has  been  here  several  years.  He  has  had  a  fair 
practice  and  is  a  doctor  of  long  experience.  He  also  has  a  drug 
annex  to  his  doctor's  office  on  South  Tenth  street.  He  has  an 
X-ray  and  an  automobile,  which  he  uses  in  his  practice. 

DR.  J.  W.  GILMORE  is  one  of  the  youngest  men  in  the  profes- 
sion, but  he  is  fresh  from  the  fountain-head  of  medical  learning  and 
is  thoroughly  up-to-date.  He  is  also  a  factor  at  the  hospital  and 
there  is  a  bright  future  before  him. 

DR.  JOHN  T.  WHITLOCK,  another  Jefferson  county  boy,  son  of 
George  Whitlock,  of  Field  township,  is  a  factor  in  the  hospital 
force  and  in  the  practice  of  his  profession.  He  is  well  up  in  the  art 
of  healing  the  "ills  the  flesh  is  heir  to"  and  is  fast  forging  his  way 
to  the  front. 

DOCTOR  CURTIS  practices  osteopathy  and  is  said  to  be  well  up 


206  wall's  history  of  jefferson  cc,  ill. 

the  science  of  curing  people  by  the  methods  prescribed  by  the  os- 
teopathy school  of  medicine. 

DR.  s.  M.  ROBINSON  came  from  Franklin  county,  was  a  doctor 
of  long  experience  and  had  a  good  practice.  He  had  his  office  at 
his  residence  on  South  Tenth  street.  He  died  in  February,  1909. 
DR.  MOSS  MAXEY,  son  of  J.  C.  Maxey  and  son-in-law  of  Al 
Tanner,  is  another  young  doctor  of  aspiring  build.  He  is  having 
a  good  practice  and  having  good  success  in  his  work.  Being  a 
descendant  of  both  the  Moss  and  Maxey  families,  he  is  to  be  reck- 
oned with  in  the  practice.    He  is  at  present  county  physician. 

DR.  TODD  WARD,  son  of  G.  F.  M.  Ward,  is  not  to  be  ignored. 
He  is  thoroughly  wrapped  up  in  his  profession,  is  paying  strict  at- 
tention to  business  and  is  increasing  the  circles  of  his  practice  as 
briskly,  perhaps,  as  any  doctor  in  town.  He  has  located  and  built 
a  handsome  residence  on  North  street.  This  comprises  the  present 
list  of  practicing  physicians,  and  certainly  there  is  no  need  of  being 
sick  long  at  a  time ;  we  ought  to  either  get  well — or  take  an  "outing 
on  the  other  shore." 

Then  there  is  Dr.  W.  C.  Pace,  of  Ashley;  properly,  he  is  one 
of  us — a  son  of  Uncle  Joel  and  Aunt  Parmelia  Pace.  He  went 
west  to  grow  up — with  Ashley — and  stayed  there.  But  he  forgot 
to  get  married — and  there  he  is — a  good  doctor  and  a  splendid 
man. 

And  there  is  Dr.  J.  H.  Watson,  of  Woodlawn — he's  a  Mount 
Vernon  boy — having  inherited  whatever  good  qualities  he  may  have 
from  his  early  associations  with  us.  He  has  made  a  good  record  as 
a  practicing  physician.  He  was  a  son  of  the  late  John  H.  Watson, 
who  died  in  1861.  He  has  "meddled"  a  little  in  Democratic  poli- 
tics and  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate-  for  four  years,  and  also 
Representative. 

We  have  before  us  a  copy  of  the  "Jeffersonian."  dated  March 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  207 

25,  1853,  and  in  it  we  find  the  professional  cards  of  Dr.  N.  R. 
Casey,  son  of  Zadok,  who  afterwards  moved  to  Mound  City  and 
practiced  there,  besides  being  elected  Mayor  of  the  place  and  being 
sent  to  Legislature. 

Also  of  Dr.  John  C.  Gray,  who  filled  his  mission  here  and  died 
among  us  and  Doctor  Powell,  an  oculist,  who  at  that  time  practiced 
in  Mount  Vernon.  Dr.  P.  W.  Whitlock  is  our  present  op- 
tician and  a  first  class  one  at  that.  Doctor  Arendale  is  devoting  his 
time  and  attention  to  the  Capital  Hotel  and  is  not  mentioned  in  the 
above  list.  Dr.  J.  H.  Newton  has  recently  come  here  from  Mar- 
low,  but  has  retired  from  the  practice  of  medicine  and  is  a  land  agent. 

Thus  we  have  tried  to  deal  fairly  with  the  medical  fraternity. 
If,  in  any  way,  we  have  failed  to  do  so,  "equal  and  exact  justice" 
will  surely  come  to  them  in  the  "sweet  bye  and  bye." 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  FIRST  BALLOON  IN  JEFFERSON  COUNTY. 

Two  Jefferson  County  Children  up  in  it  all  Night — Rome 
Township  Furnishes  two  Thrilling  Incidents  of  Lost  and  Found 
Children — Fifty  and  Eighty-six  Years  Ago. 

"Up  in  a  balloon,  sailing  round  the  moon." 
"I  thought  you  were  Ingen." 

When  our  first  settlers  came  to  Jefferson  county  they  came 
with  ox-carts,  gigs,  or  horseback  and  on  foot,  and  after  leaving  the 
old  Goshen  road,  had  to  clear  a  way  for  their  travel.  Since  then, 
we  have  seen  all  the  modern  modes  and  implements  of  travel  com- 
ing to  us — the  two-horse-wagon,  the  old  stage  coach,  the  carriage 
or  buggy,  the  railroad,  the  bicycle,  and  automobile,  and  even  the 
air-ship  and  the  balloon.  Our  people  have  patronized  them  all.  Our 
present  story  is  about  a  couple  of  Jefferson  county  children  travel- 
ing through  Jefferson  county  in  a  balloon  and  were  we  not  personally 
cognizant  of  the  facts  as  we  write  them  we  would  doubt  the  state- 
ment being  strictly  true,  but  we  do  not  tell  the  tale  as  it  was  told 
to  us,  but  as  we  vividly  remember  the  facts.  We  give  them  as  they 
were  impressed  on  our  mind  over  fifty  years  ago,  and  here  they  are : 

In  September,  1 858,  the  state  fair  was  held  at  Centralia.  Each 
evening  Professor  Wilson  went  up  in  his  big  balloon  for  the  edifica- 
tion of  the  people,  sailing  away  a  few  miles  and  being  back  for  a  like 
performance  next  day.     On  the  last  evening  he  sailed  away  in  the 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  209 

direction  of  Jefferson  county  until  lost  sight  of.  He  came  down  at 
the  farm  house  of  a  Mr.  Harvey  in  Rome  (now  Dix)  neighbor- 
hood, and  was  talking  with  Mr.  Harvey  abount  hauling  himself  and 
balloon  back  to  Centralia ;  meanwhile  he  had  fastened  the  grab-hook 
of  his  balloon  to  a  rail  in  an  old  worm  fence.  Mr.  Harvey's  two  chil- 
dren, aged  six  and  four  years,  respectively,  asked  to  be  placed  in 
the  basket  and  the  professor  picked  up  one  and  the  father  the  other 
and  seated  them  therein,  and  resumed  their  conversation, 

A  sudden  gust  of  wind  swayed  the  balloon  and  up  it  went,  sail- 
ing away  to  the  southwest,  leaving  the  parents  frantic  with  fright 
and  the  professor  utterly  dismayed.  Imagine,  if  you  can,  the  wild 
excitement  as  the  news  spread  throughout  the  neighborhood  and 
down  to  Mount  Vernon.  It  was  nearly  dark  when  the  monster 
broke  its  moorings  and  sailed  away,  but  that  did  not  prevent  the  peo- 
ple from  scanning  the  upper  darkness  and  searching  the  woods  in 
hopes  of  finding  some  trace  of  the  children;  but  the  night  passed 
without  a  ray  of  hope  and  its  darkness  was  not  to  be  compared 
with  the  darkness  that  filled  the  hearts  of  the  parents  and  friends, 
and  everybody. 

Not  a  word  came  until  8  o'clock  next  morning,  when  a  horse- 
man came  speedily  from  the  southeast,  bringing  the  joyful  tidings 
that  the  children  were  safe  and  sound.  Shout  after  shout  rent  the 
air  as  the  wagon  came  up  the  road  bearing  not  only  the  little  ones 
but  also  their  parents,  who  had  hastened  out  to  meet  them.  "Home 
Again"  was  struck  up  by  the  old  original  Mount  Vernon  brass 
band  and  was  heartily  joined  in  by  the  multitude,  and  Mount  Ver- 
non had  a  glorious  "home-coming"  never  to  be  forgotten  by  those 
present. 

The  wonderful  voyage  as  recited  by  the  six-year  old  girl,  she 
being  the  older,  was  simple  but  thrilling.  She  said  they  cried  for 
papa  and  mamma  in  the  dark  till  brother  fell  asleep,  and  she  took 

14 


210  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL. 

her  apron  and  covered  him  up.  She  remembered  of  hearing  dogs 
bark,  but  could  see  or  hear  nothing  else,  excepting  occasionally  a 
star  peeped  through  the  clouds.  Becoming  numb  with  cold  she, 
too,  fell  asleep  and  only  remembered  feeling  a  jolt  sometime  in  the 
night. 

Just  before  day  the  next  morning,  'Squire  Atchison,  living  in 
the  lower  edge  of  Moore's  Prairie,  went  early  to  his  barn  to  feed 
his  horses,  and  seeing  some  monstrous  thing  in  a  big  tree  standing 
near,  he  raised  the  alarm  and  soon  the  people  gathered  to  behold 
the  miracle  of  two  children  nestled  in  the  basket  of  Professor  Wil- 
son's big  balloon.  They  were  soon  brought  safely  to  earth  again  and 
after  a  thorough  warming  and  partaking  of  a  good  breakfast,  they 
were  brought  to  Mount  Vernon — and  their  parents. 

The  writer  has  passed  through  many  army  experiences,  night 
raids  and  mid-night  marches,  but  never  one  more  wild  and  exciting 
than  that  night's  search  for  the  lost  children  in  the  "jungles  and  up- 
per air  of  old  Jefferson."  And  he  believes  now,  as  he  did  then, 
that  Providence  managed  the  balloon,  after  the  carelessness  of  man 
permitted  it  to  carry  off  the  heart  treasures  of  the  parents;  showing 
plainly  that  "Man's  extremity  is  God's  opportunity." 

ANOTHER  CHILD  LOST. 

As  a  campanion  piece  to  this  thrilling  incident,  we  deem  it 
appropriate  to  give  another  Rome  township  incident  of  a  lost  child 
and  the  poignant  grief  of  the  parents.  We  give  this  incident  as  it 
was  written  by  one  of  the  neighbors  shortly  after  it  happened : 

"In  the  fall  of  1822,  Thomas  Howell  resided  in  the  edge 
of  Jordan's  Prairie,  near  where  Ignatius  Bruce  lived.  This  is  the 
same  Howell  that  succeeded  Watkins,  the  first  Sheriff  of  Jefferson 
county.     It  was  Sabbath  and  Zadok  Casey  had  just  read  an  open- 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  211 

ing  chapter  when  a  man  on  horseback  came  galloping  up,  announc- 
ing that  Howell's  little  boy,  Erasmus,  aged  six  or  seven  years,  was 
lost  m  the  woods.  Rev.  Casey  closed  the  services  at  once,  advising 
everybody  to  help  find  the  lost  child  and  a  vigorous  search  was  at 
once  begun.  The  forests  contained  wild  beasts  and  the  settle- 
ments few.  The  parents  were  frantic.  The  search  was  kept  up  day 
and  night  until  the  following  Wednesday  night  without  finding  a 
trace  of  the  child  and  despair  settled  upon  the  minds  of  all.  On 
Thursday  morning,  Green  P.  Casey  was  up  early  feeding  his  horse 
near  his  old  place  on  the  Vandalia,  afterwards  Centralia  road, 
when  in  the  southeast  direction  he  heard  a  wail,  but  whether  it  came 
from  a  child  or  a  panther,  he  could  not  tell,  but  was  impelled  to  go 
and  see,  at  the  risk  of  his  own  safety.  So  bridling  his  horse  and 
without  hat,  he  rode  in  the  direction  of  the  noise.  Finally  he  came 
to  a  clump  of  high  grass  from  which  the  voice  seemed  to  come.  He 
called  "Erasmus,  is  that  you?  "  No  answer.  He  called  again, 
but  no  answer.  Finally  as  he  rode  around  in  the  high  grass,  he 
espied  Erasmus  in  a  recumbent  position  with  his  eyes  wildly  star- 
ing at  him.  He  addressed  the  child  kindly  and  gradually  the  boy 
seemed  to  recover  from  his  wildness  and  said:  "The  reason  I  did 
not  answer  was,  I  was  afraid  you  was  Ingen."  Casey  took  the  child 
to  his  home  and  they  fed  him  what  bread  and  milk  they  thought  it 
safe  to  give  him.  The  little  fellow  had  starved  five  days.  As  soon 
as  possible,  Mr.  Casey  took  the  child  on  the  horse  before  him  and 
hastened  to  Howell's  to  let  the  grief-stricken  mother  know  that  her 
Erasmus  was  safe.  He  met  men  on  the  hunt  and  they  fired  off  guns 
to  notify  other  hunters  that  the  lost  was  found.  By  the  time  they 
reached  Howell's,  quite  a  procession  had  formed,  and  when  the 
dazed  mother  saw  her  child  and  clasped  him  to  her  bosom  with  joy, 
there  was  not  a  dry  eye  among  that  throng  of  backwoodsmen — 'twas 
like  the  shepherd  finding  the  lost  sheep) — and  joy  reigned  supreme. 


212  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

When  Casey  found  the  httle  fellow,  he  had  a  large  hickory  nut  with 
the  hull  on  it,  which  he  had  bitten  with  his  little  teeth  in  his  extreme 
hunger.  His  clothes  were  almost  torn  from  his  body  by  the  briars 
and  bushes." 

Other  Jefferson  county  townships  may  have  tales  to  tell,  but 
Rome  carries  the  banner  for  "lost  and  found"  children.  Green  P. 
Casey  died  December  23,  1857. 

Other  balloon  incidents  and  accidents  have  happened  in  the 
county  since  the  feat  recorded  above  and  of  course  the  end  is  not 
yet.  About  fifteen  years  ago,  a  young  man  went  up  at  the  old  fair 
ground  on  a  trapeze  and  sailed  away  to  the  northeast.  He  was 
seen  to  fall  and  his  lifeless  body  was  found  in  David  Warren's 
field.  Another  man  named  Jones  made  ascensions  here  every  day 
for  a  week,  coming  down  without  mishap,  but  the  very  next  week 
he  fell  from  his  balloon  at  Du  Quoin  and  was  killed.  Recently  a 
big  balloon  called  the  "Yankee"  went  up  at  St.  Louis  to  win  the 
world's  prize  for  making  the  greatest  distance  before  lighting,  but  it 
was  forced  to  come  down  near  Cravat  in  this  county  for  repairs, 
much  to  the  edification  of  the  Jeffersonians  in  that  vicinity.  It  went 
up  again,  sailed  all  night  and  landed  in  Georgia,  but  the  Cravat 
incident  made  it  lose  the  sought-for  prize.  It  has  often  been  dem- 
onstrated that  the  balloon  is  not  a  reliable  mode  of  air  locomotion. 
It  enables  the  crowd  on  terra  firma  an  opportunity  to  test  the  rub- 
ber in  their  necks,  but  it  is  always  dangerous  to  the  parties  "up  in 
the  balloon."  But  the  air-ship  promises  to  be  a  very  different  thing. 
It  can  be  and  will  be  so  constructed  that  it  can  be  managed  so  as  to 
make  it  a  vehicle  of  travel  from  one  given  point  to  another  and  our 
prediction  is  that  the  next  Jefferson  county  historian  will  be  al- 
lowed to  record  the  literal  fulfillment  of  this  prophecy. 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  213 

ANOTHER  HISTORICAL  INCIDENT. 

There  seems  to  be  no  doubt  that  Andrew  Moore  was  the  first 
white  man  to  settle  in  Moore's  Prairie — or  in  Jefferson  county,  as 
to  that  matter.  He  erected  a  double  cabin  on  the  Goshen  road  and 
there  he  resided  with  his  family  when  there  were  none  to  molest 
or  make  afraid,  except  occasional  bands  of  roving  Indians.  He 
must  have  settled  there  as  early  as  1810  and  Crusoe  on  his  lonely 
island  was  not  more  alone  than  Moore  and  his  family.  He  seemed 
to  be  a  pioneer  of  true  mould — yearning  for  freedom  in  its  rawest 
sense.  He  was  self-exiled  from  civilization,  seeking  the  solitudes 
of  the  pathless  woods.  He  did  not  burn  the  bridges  behind  him, 
simply  because  there  were  none  to  burn.  He  fished,  hunted,  cut 
bee  trees  and  raised  a  truck  garden,  strictly  for  home  consump- 
tion, seemed  to  have  no  fear  of  wild  beasts  or  Indians  and  felt  as 
secure  in  his  cabin  as  he  would  in  a  fortified  castle.  Moore  and 
his  ten-year-old  boy  one  day  went  to  the  Jordan  settlement  many 
miles  away  to  have  some  corn  made  into  meal,  expecting  to  get  back 
that  night.  But  they  never  came.  Mrs.  Moore,  after  waiting  all 
next  day  in  vain,  took  the  other  children  and  set  out  for  the  Jor- 
dan mill  to  learn  what  had  happened  to  her  loved  ones.  She  never 
learned.  They  had  got  their  grinding  and  started  home  on  time 
and  that  was  the  last  seen  of  them.  The  woods  were  scoured,  but 
no  trace  could  be  found.  Mrs.  Moore-heart-broken  and  desolate, 
returned  to  her  cabin  but  could  not  stand  it — she  removed  with  her 
little  ones  to  the  Saline  Salt  Works  settlement,  but  a  few  years 
later  returned  and  occupied  the  old  cabin,  together  with  others  who 
came  to  locate.  A  few  years  later  a  hunting  party  found  a  human 
skull,  which  Mrs.  Moore  recognized  as  her  husband  by  a  missing 
tooth.  She  took  it  to  her  home  and  cherished  it  as  long  as  she 
lived.    No  other  intelligence  of  Moore  and  son  was  ever  received  by 


214  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

the  family  and  there  seemed  to  be  no  doubt  that  they  were  killed 
by  Indians  and  devoured  by  wild  beasts.  Tradition  gives  us  the 
sequel  to  this  horrible  tragedy.  It  has  been  said  that  Moore  and 
some  of  his  friends  from  the  Saline  settlement  were  out  in  the  woods 
splitting  some  board  timber,  when  a  couple  of  painted  red-skins 
came  upon  them  and  it  looked  like  something  must  be  done  to  get 
rid  of  them.  Moore  was  driving  a  wooden  wedge  into  the  log, 
which  they  expected  to  make  into  boards.  By  signs,  Moore  showed 
his  apparent  anxiety  to  get  the  log  open  by  pulling  while  his  friend 
mauled.  Finally  the  Indians  showed  signs  of  wanting  to  help. 
They  took  a  good  grip  on  either  side  of  the  log  with  their  fingers 
well  down  in  the  apperture,  when  Moore,  by  a  dexterous  stroke  of 
the  maul,  hit  the  wooden  wedge,  causing  it  to  fly  out — catching  the 
fingers  of  the  red-skins  so  as  to  hold  them  fast  in  the  closed  fissure  of 
the  log.  As  soon  as  possible,  Moore  and  his  friends  relieved  them 
but  they  went  away  with  revenge  (the  Indian  characteristic)  de- 
picted on  their  faces,  and  it  is  believed  that  they  waited  for  a  chance 
to  "get  even"  with  Moore  and  over-did  the  thing  by  killing  him. 

Maxey  Wilkey  was  a  soldier  of  1812,  and  claimed  to  have 
been  at  the  death  of  Tecumseh,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of 
Thames.  At  the  close  of  the  war,  Mr.  Wilkey  married  a  Miss 
Caldwell,  came  to  Jefferson  county  and  settled  in  Moore's  Prairie 
in  1816.  After  the  Moore  tragedy,  the  Wilkeys,  Crenshaws,  the 
Cooks,  Atchisons,  were  the  first  settlers  of  the  Moore's  Prairie  sec- 
tion. In  Atchison's  big  tree  near  his  residence  is  where  Professor  Wil- 
son's ballon  settled  with  the  Harvey  children  in  it,  on  the  fearful 
night  recorded  above.  So  it  will  be  seen  that  Moore's  Prairie  has  a 
good  share  in  the  early  tragedies  with  Rome  township. 

Lewis  Watkins,  Jefferson  county's  first  Sheriff,  finally  moved 
back  to  Moore's  Prairie,  while  Howell,  the  next  Sheriff,  located  in 
Rome  township  and  was  the  father  of  the  lost  child,  Erasmus. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

MOUNT  Vernon's  great  cyclone. 

The  Destruction  it  Wrought — The  Spirit  it  Aroused — The 
Industries  that  Have  Come  in  its  Wake — The  Greater  Mount  Ver- 
non— The  King  City. 

"Thus  man  may  build,  encumbering  the  sod; 
And  where  this  pygmy  delver  holdeth  sway, 
It  seems  the  burly  Titan  may  have  trod. 
And  toiled  through  hours  of  his  primal  day; 
And  yet,  one  stroke — a  flash  of  fire  from  God — 
And  man's  creations,  crumbling,  shrink  away." 

Mount  Vernon  has  passed  the  point  where  it  depends  upon  the 
county  trade  alone  for  prosperity,  but  has  sought  prosperity  in  the 
securing  of  manufacturing  industries.  Hence,  we  esteem  it  proper 
that  we  notice  them  as  the  real  result  of  our  cyclone — and  then  re- 
fer to  the  cyclone  itself.  First,  we  refer  to  the  Mount  Vernon  Car 
Manufacturing  Company,  manufacturers  of  freight  cars  of  every 
description,  barrel  cars,  box  cars,  caboose  cars,  coal  cars,  construc- 
tion cars,  mine  cars,  drop  bottom  cars,  dump  cars,  flat  cars,  furniture 
cars,  hopper  bottom  cars,  hay  cars,  logging  cars,  long  flat  cars  for 
show  purposes,  mining  cars,  ore  cars,  phosphate  cars,  refrigerator 
cars,  stock  cars,  tank  cars,  car  wheels,  engine  wheels,  passenger 
wheels,  car  and  engine  castings  of  all  kinds  and  car  forgings  of  all 
kinds,  was  established  in  1 890.     The  company  employs  an  average 


216  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

of  eight  hundred  men,  and  its  daily  capacity  is  twenty  freight  cars 
and  three  hundred  car  wheels.  It  has  turned  out  more  than  twenty 
million  dollars'  worth  of  work  since  starting,  which  has  been  sent  to 
all  parts  of  the  country,  including  Canada,  Old  Mexico  and  South 
America.  It  numbers  among  its  customers  all  the  leading  railroads 
of  the  United  States.  Since  its  establishment,  it  has  paid  out  over 
three  million  dollars  for  wages  and  is  now  paying  out  between  three 
and  four  hundred  thousand  dollars  annually  in  wages. 

New  and  improved  machinery  is  being  added  constantly,  to 
keep  up  with  improved  methods  and  new  standards  being  adopted 
by  the  railroads.  The  foundry  is  a  very  important  part  of  the 
works,  where  the  latest  and  most  scientific  methods  are  used,  in- 
cluding the  analysis  of  every  pound  of  iron  and  fuel  going  into  the 
cupalos,  and  every  cast  that  is  taken  out.  A  very  complete  chem- 
ical laboratory,  with  every  known  appliance  for  the  analysis  and 
testing  of  the  metals  and  fuels  used,  is  established  in  the  basement 
of  the  new  building,  with  a  first-class  chemist  in  charge.  This,  with 
first-class  foundry  practice,  enables  the  company  to  manufacture 
wheels  to  meet  all  kinds  of  specifications  and  stand  the  severest  tests 
required  by  the  different  railroads. 

In  addition  to  the  new  work  manufactured,  the  company  also 
has  an  extensive  repair  department,  where  they  repair  old  cars  for 
railroads.  They  have  large  trackage,  used  especially  for  this  pur- 
pose. The  plant,  being  equipped  with  the  most  modern  machinery, 
is  able  to  compete  with  any  of  the  leading  car  works  of  the  country. 

The  company  has  just  completed  and  moved  into  a  handsome 
three-story  office  building,  a  credit  to  any  city.  The 
first  floor  of  the  building  is  used  for  the  chemist's  office  and  labor- 
atory, clerk's  room,  wash  room,  storage  rooms  for  files,  records,  blue 
prints,  etc.  An  emergency  hospital  will  also  be  arranged  in  one 
of  the  rooms  on  the  first  floor,  where  employes  that  are  injured  may 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  217 

be  cared  for.  The  second  floor  is  occupied  by  the  secretary's  office, 
superintendent's  office,  general  office,  draftman's  office,  railroad  in- 
spector's room,  time-keeper's  and  paymaster's  office,  stationery  room 
and  vault.  The  third  floor  is  occupied  by  the  president's  office,  the 
vice-president's  and  treasurer's  office,  directors'  room,  consultation 
room,  vice-president's  secretary,  bookkeepers,  telephone  room  and 
lavatory.  All  of  the  departments  are  handsomely  decorated  and 
furnished.  The  building  throughout  is  equipped  with  every  modern 
convenience,  being  especially  designed  and  built  for  the  convenience 
of  the  business. 

A  system  of  telephones  and  electric  bells  is  used  for  commu- 
nication with  the  different  departments  and  the  Western  Union  Tele- 
graph Company  wires  and  long  distance  telephone  are  installed 
in  the  building. 

The  officers  of  the  company  are  D.  O.  Settlemire,  recently  de- 
ceased, president;  W.  C.  Arthurs,  vice-president  and  treasurer; 
R.  K.  Weber,  secretary;  Frank  Snyder,  superintendent;  G.  G. 
Gilbert,  attorney. 

Mount  Vernon  has  one  good  coal  mine,  which  furnishes  a 
good  article  of  coal  and  helps  supply  the  great  local  demand  for 
fuel,  as  supply  the  engines  on  the  Louisville  &  Nashville  Railroad. 
It  was  put  down  by  John  Gibson  and  other  enterprising  citizens 
now  gone,  but — their  works  do  follow  them. 

The  Citizens  Gas,  Electric  and  Heating  Company  of  Mount 
Vernon  was  organized  April  26,  1902,  and  incorporated  May  1  3th 
of  the  same  year,  with  a  capital  stock  of  two  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars. The  officers  are  W.  H.  Schott,  president;  Anthony  C.  Hunt, 
vice-president;  H.  R.  Kingman,  secretary  and  treasurer.  This 
company  succeeded  the  Mount  Vernon  Water  Company  and  the 
Mount  Vernon  Electric  Company,  affecting  a  combination  of  both 
plants.     When  the  plants  were  moved  and  rebuilt  in   1903,  gas 


218  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

works  and  a  central  heating  plant  were  added.  It  has  in  operation 
three  thousand  five  hundred  miles  of  electric  circuit,  eighteen  miles 
of  water  mains,  ten  miles  of  gas  mains,  ten  miles  of  hot  water  heat- 
ing mains.  The  capacity  of  the  electric  light  plant  is  two  hundred 
kilowatts,  that  of  the  water  works  four  million  gallons  per  day,  with 
a  reservoir  capacity  of  three  hundred  and  ninety  million  gallons. 
The  capacity  of  the  gas  works  is  seventy-five  thousand  cubic  feet  of 
gas  per  day,  and  that  of  the  heating  plant  seventy-five  thousand 
square  feet  of  radiation.  The  utilities  furnished  by  this  company  are 
electric  current  for  domestic,  commercial  and  decorative  lighting  and 
power;  gas  for  fuel,  light  and  power;  city  water  for  domestic  and 
manufacturing  purposes  and  fire  protection ;  central  station  hot  water 
heating  for  residences,  churches,  clubs,  offices  and  stores.  It  furnishes 
to  the  city  seventy-five  electric  street  arc  lights,  burning  all  night  and 
every  night  in  the  year,  sixty-two  fire  hydrants,  two  public  water 
fountains,  free  lights  at  city  hall,  public  library  and  fire  deparmtent, 
and  city  fire  alarm  system.  All  of  the  equipment  is  first  class  and  the 
company  is  managed  in  a  business  like  manner.  With  such  public 
utilities  as  are  furnished  by  .this-c/jsapany,  the  people  of  Mount  Ver- 
non enjoy  every  convenience  that  could  be  found  in  the  largest 
cities. 

The  Chicago  Tie  Preserving  Company,  which  is  utilizing  thou- 
sands of  feet  of  timber  heretofore  considered  worthless;  the  Royal 
Knitting  Company,  lately  removed  from  Chester  and  now  giving 
employment  to  nearly  a  hundred  persons. 

The  Mount  Vernon  Ice  &  Storage  Company  was  incorporated 
October  16,  1903.  The  capital  stock  is  twenty-five  thousand  dol- 
lars. The  stockholders  and  directors  are  Herbert  R.  Kingman, 
Wilbur  Ayers,  G.  Gale  Gilbert,  John  R.  Allen,  L.  L.  Emmerson, 
Frank  E.  Patton,  and  J.  H.  Maxey.  The  officers  are  J.  R.  Allen, 
president;  Wilbur  Ayers,  vice-president;  J.  H.  Maxey,  secretary 
and  treasurer. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  219 

Then  comes  the  Mount  Vernon  Canning  and  Preserving  Fac- 
tory, which  promises  to  be  another  of  Mount  Vernon's  great  and 
important  industries.  For  the  past  few  years  it  has  been  leased  to 
the  T.  A.  Snider's  Cincinnati  Preserving  and  Catsup  Company,  and 
each  year  has  used  nearly  one  hundred  thousand  bushels  of  toma- 
toes in  putting  up  the  Snider  brand  of  catsup,  which  readily  sells  in 
every  market  of  the  world.  H.  L.  Dryer  is  local  manager  of  the 
plant  and  employs  about  sixty  men  and  women  during  the  tomato 
season,  a  great  help  to  Mount  Vernon.  It  is  the  intention  to  enlarge 
the  plant  and  in  addition  to  the  preserving  process,  can  all  kinds 
of  vegetables  and  fruits,  which  will  very  greatly  increase  the  outlay 
of  money  in  our  midst,  by  giving  more  work,  and  buying  the  farmers' 
products. 

Then  we  have  a  branch  of  the  Nashville,  Tennessee  Knitting 
Factory,  which  employs  as  high  as  seventy-five  or  one  hundred 
women  and  girls,  at  remunerative  wages,  and  sends  its  goods  to  all 
the  markets  of  the  country. 

Then  we  have  an  extensive  brick  and  tile  factory,  doing  a 
good  business  and  giving  employment  to  many  workers. 

These  are  the  principal  industries  of  Mount  Vernon,  but  she 
is  continually  reaching  out  for  more  and  she  generally  gets  what 
she  goes  for.  All  these  industries  and  the  wonderful  building  up  of 
the  town  have  come  about  since  the  town  was  devasted  and  appar- 
ently ruined  by  the  great  cyclone  of  1 888. 

THE  CYCLONE. 

Mount  Vernon  has  had  several  disastrous  fires,  but  its  great- 
est calamity  visited  it  on  the  evening  of  February  1 9,  1 888,  when, 
without  warning  a  cyclone  swept  across  it  from  the  southwest  to  the 
northeast  through  a  densely  built  portion  of  the  city,  in  a  track  about 


220  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

a  half  of  a  mile  in  width  and  more  than  a  mile  in  length, 
leaving  wreck  and  ruin  in  its  wake,  and  bringing  sor- 
row on  account  of  deaths,  injuries  and  loss  of  prop- 
erty. In  a  few  days  a  place  of  desolation  was  transformed  into  one 
of  activity  and  life,  and  all  traces  of  the  track  of  the  storm  were 
blotted  out  and  the  ruins  were  replaced  by  beautiful  and  substantial 
buildings.  The  city  has  continued  to  thrive  and  prosper  and  now 
with  its  railroads,  car-works,  gas  and  electric  light  plant,  knitting 
factory,  coal  mine,  brick  plant,  ice  plant  and  other  industries,  its 
various  lines  of  business,  wholesale  and  retail,  its  beautiful  public 
buildings,  its  miles  of  paved  streets  and  granitoid  and  brick  side- 
walks, its  beautiful  lawns  and  cozy  homes,  make  its  population  of 
more  than  ten  thousand  prosperous  citizens,  and  extend  an 
invitation  and  inducement  to  others  to  locate  among  us  and  cast 
their  lot  with  us  for  the  accomplishment  of  other  enterprises  and 
keeping  this  city  in  its  present  position  in  the  front  ranks  of  the  many 
beautiful  and  prosperous  cities  of  the  great  state  of  Illinois. 

Many,  very  many,  things  occurred  during  this  great  cyclone, 
which  lasted  but  a  minute,  that  might  be  told  and  sworn  to  by  eye- 
witnesses— that,  ordinarily  could  not  be  believed.  The  disaster 
came  at  the  end  of  a  murky,  warm,  winter  day,  a  few  minutes  after 
the  people  had  arrived  home  from  their  afternoon  Sunday  schools. 
It  came  without  warning — struck  the  town  at  the  Beal  homestead, 
swooped  down  through  the  center  of  the  town  destroying  all  the 
houses  in  its  course  and  lifted  just  after  it  had  leveled  the  Franklin 
school-house — about  four  hundred  and  fifty  houses  were  totally 
wrecked.  Thirty  persons  were  either  killed  or  died  from  the  hurts 
received.  The  Supreme  Court  house,  which  was  not  in  the  storm  s 
path,  was  converted  into  a  hospital  and  the  Presbyterian  church  near 
it  into  a  depot  of  supplies,  and  money  and  supplies  were  poured  in 
from  people  from  nearly  every  town  and  city  until  about  one  hundred 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  221 

fifty  thousand  dollars'  worth  had  been  received  and  distributed  to  the 
helpless,  destitute  citizens  of  the  devastated  town.  After  hunting 
for  and  caring  for  the  dead  and  wounded,  all  through  the  rainy, 
cold  terrible  night,  and  fighting  fires  which  broke  out  in  the  wreck- 
age, the  view  presented  in  the  morning  was  truly  fearful  and  ap- 
palling. But  new  strength  and  courage  seemed  to  come  with  the 
rising  sun,  and  soon  the  sound  of  saw  and  hammer  was  heard  in 
every  direction.  And,  Phoenix-like,  Mount  Vernon  began  to  rise 
from  its  ashes  and  put  on  more  beautiful  aspect  than  before.  Work- 
men came  from  every  direction  and  when  useless  sight-seers  came 
around  with  their  pessimistic  wails,  the  workmen  answered  as  did 
those  who  rebuilt  the  walls  of  Jerusalem.  "We  are  engaged  in  a 
great  work,  so  that  we  can  not  come  down  and  confer  with  you." 
And  so  the  work  werit  on,  and  is  going  on  to  this  day.  A  spirit  of 
enterprise  was  born  in  our  people — right  in  the  face  of  great  dis- 
aster— which  gave  them  glimpses  of  future  possibilities  never  before 
dreamed  of  and  that  spirit  resulted  in  the  creation  of  the  "King 
City"  of  Southern  Illinois,  with  a  population  nearly  four  times  as 
great  as  then  and  a  business  that  bears  no  comparison  with  before 
the  cyclone.  In  fact  the  terrible  disaster  developed  all  the  good, 
strong  characteristics  of  our  true  American  citizens,  and  has  dem- 
onstrated the  stuff  we  are  made  of. 

Some  of  the  papers  of  our  homes  and  business  men  that  went 
out  with  the  cyclone,  were  found  as  far  away  as  Xenia  and  Flora, 
in  Clay  county  and  between  here  and  there.  We  recovered  the 
G.  A.  R.  banner  hanging  in  a  tree  a  mile  or  two  out  of  town.  Many 
homes  were  lifted,  leaving  the  inmates  on  the  floor  unmolested.  The 
water  and  mud  were  lifted  out  of  several  cisterns  and  wells.  On  the 
school-house  grounds  many  grass  straws  were  stuck  into  the  bark 
of  the  trees  and  they  could  not  be  pulled  out.  Much  stock  was 
killed,  by  force  and  electricity.     One  cow  was  found  dead  with  a 


222  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

ham  of  meat  sticking  in  her  head — the  hock  having  entered  her 
skull.  We  noticed  an  oak  water  barrel,  which  had  been  pierced  by 
a  stick  as  large  as  a  baseball  club,  having  been  driven  through  a 
stave  as  if  shot  from  a  cannon.  These  and  many  other  freaks  were 
seen  and  knovsTi  of  by  many  of  our  people — all  showing  the  un- 
known force  that  accompanies  a  real  cyclone  twister.  May  we 
never  see  another. 

It  is  safe  to  repeat  that  had  it  not  been  for  this  fearful  calamity, 
this  destroying  beasom  from  the  elements  of  Mount  Vernon  would 
not  be  today  the  city  that  it  is- — with  its  many  churches  and  schools, 
its  humming  industries  and  its  ten  thousand  hustling  inhabitants — 
all  going  to  show  what  a  real  live  industrious  optimistic  people  can 
do  in  the  face  of  seeming  destruction  and  defeat. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

AGRICULTURAL  AND  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETIES. 

County  Fairs — Reunions — Old  Folks'  Reunion — Pace  Re- 
union— Soldiers'  Reunions — etc. 

"Should  auld  acquaintance  be  forgot. 

And  never  brought  to  mind? 
Should  auld  acquaintance  be  forgot, 

In  the  days  of  auld  lang  syne?" 

The  agricultural  history  of  Jefferson  county  is  but  little  more 
than  a  repetition  of  the  history  of  other  Southern  Illinois  counties. 
The  area  of  the  county  is  five  hundred  and  seventy-six  square 
miles,  nearly  all  susceptible  of  cultivation.  For  the  first  forty  years 
there  was  but  little  incentive  to  grow  crops,  for  there  was  no  mar- 
ket. Much  of  the  surplus  produce  was  hauled  in  wagons  to  Shaw- 
neetown  or  St.  Louis,  but  now  the  markets  of  the  world  are  at  our 
very  doors  and  we  have  only  to  so  feed  and  tickle  the  soil  so  as  to 
make  it  produce  the  greatest  amount  of  saleable  products.  This,  to- 
gether with  that  other  pressing  need  of  the  times,  the  effort  to  make 
rural  life  attractive,  is  all  that  is  needed  to  make  life  on  the  farm  the 
most  desirable  life  in  the  world.  But  we  can  not  give  a  desertation 
on  the  beauties  of  farming  here.  We  merely  desire  to  refer  to 
Farmers'  Organizations,  Old  Peoples'  Associations,  etc.  The  old 
Jefferson  County  Agricultural  Society,  which  was  formed  away 
back  toward  war  times,  was  a  very  successful  and  popular  one  in 


• 


224  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

its  day.  It  was  in  good  hands  and  was  always  operated  for  the 
interest  and  amusement  of  the  people,  besides  being  beneficial  to  the 
grain,  vegetable  and  stock  raisers.  Of  course,  racing  was  a  feature, 
but  it  was  not  the  principal  one,  as  is  the  case  with  many  of  the 
modern  fair  associations.  They  secured  admirable  grounds  in  the 
southeastern  part  of  the  city,  with  plenty  of  shade,  wood  and  water, 
taking  in  the  creek,  the  site  of  the  old  Short  sawmill  and  the  "swim- 
ming hole"  where  we  boys  used  to  have  bushels  of  fun,  and  the  hazel 
thickets,  where  the  other  fellows  used  to  play  "seven-up"  and  other 
things  too  numerous  to  mention.  The  annual  fairs  given  by  this 
old  society  were  looked  forward  to  with  much  anxiety,  for  they  took 
the  form  of  a  grand  social  reunion  with  the  people  both  at  home  and 
abroad.  Indeed,  those  were  halcyon  days  spent  in  the  old  fair 
grounds,  both  at  the  fairs  and  the  other  reunions  that  took  place 
there.  It  is  one  of  the  great  mistakes  of  the  city  that  it  did  not  se- 
cure those  grounds  for  its  own  use  before  the  same  was  laid  off  in 
lots  and  sold  by  piece-meal.  It  should  have  been  made  the  Forest 
Park — the  world's  fair  ground  of  Mount  Vernon  for  all  time  to 
come,  but  it  belonged  to  private  parties  and  they  got  a  chance  to  lot 
it  and  sell  out  to  good  advantage  and  away  it  went,  leaving  our  city 
without  any  chance  whatever  to  get  a  city  park.  Hindsight  is  some- 
times a  good  thing,  but  it  can  never  be  compared  to  good  business 
foresight. 

Recently  a  new  fair  association  has  been  formed  by  some  of 
our  enterprising  young  business  men  and  some  good  fairs  are  being 
held  on  their  grounds  at  the  south  extremity  of  the  corporation, 
where  they  have  the  basis  for  very  good  fair  grounds  in  the  future, 
but  how  inviting  and  beautiful  can  only  be  told  by  the  next  histo- 
rian, for  it  will  take  years  to  get  as  much  shade  and  conveniences  as 
the  old  grounds  afforded.  The  new  society  is  paying  especial  at- 
tention to  the  improvement  of  the  methods  of  farming  and  of  the 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  225 

stock  of  the  county  and  in  this  they  are  deserving  of  patronage.  An- 
other thing  they  propose  to  do  is  to  help  conserve  our  natural  re- 
sources in  timber,  or  at  least  to  help  to  restore  the  great  waste  of  for- 
ests that  has  been  going  on  so  profligately  in  late  years.  They  have 
planted  trees  that  will  in  a  few  years  afford  grateful  shade  to  pleas- 
ure seekers  who  shall  resort  to  these  grounds  for  recreation  and 
amusement.  And  in  this  way,  the  new  fair  company  will  make  them- 
selves benefactors. 

For  many  years  an  "Old  Settlers'  Association"  was  kept  up 
and  held  its  annual  reunions  and  great  enjoyment  was  gotten  out  of 
them  by  the  older  inhabitants,  but  many  modern  reunions  came  along 
and  the  old  had  to  give  way  to  the  new — baseball,  football  and  club 
reunions.  For  many  years,  James  E.  Fergerson,  that  old-fashioned 
Tennesseean,  and  James  M.  Pace,  that  plain  Jeffersonian,  kept  the 
"Old  Folks'  Association"  going,  but  they  have  both  transfered  their 
membership  to  the  pioneer  army  corps  on  the  other  side  and  their 
mantel  didn't  seem  to  fall  on  willing  souls  like  themselves,  and  the 
"Old  Folks"  are  unrepresented,  except  as  referred  to  by  the  present 
historian. 

Horticulture  has  been  greatly  neglected  by  our  land  owners — 
much  more  so  than  simple  agriculture.  Fruit  growing  has  been  with 
our  people,  too  much  of  the  hap-hazard  order.  Very  little  attention 
has  been  given  to  breeding  good  fruit,  to  pruning,  grafting,  mulching 
and  spraying;  hence  we  do  not  raise  the  good  fruit  that  we  might 
and  ought  to  raise.  This  is  eminently  a  fruit  section  and  if  our  fruit 
men  do  not  raise  good  fruit  it  is  their  own  fault.  A  few  men  here, 
like  L.  N.  Beal,  have  had  good  success  in  the  line  of  horticulture. 
Others  may  have  and  we  are  glad  to  notice  renewed  interest  along 
this  line.  Just  a  week  or  two  since,  the  Horticulture  Society  of 
South  Illinois  held  a  session  here,  which  had  the  effect  of  reviving  the 
subject  of  fruit  growing  and  we  hope  it  brings  forth  good  fruit.  The 

15 


226  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

visitors  had  on  exhibition  some  deUcious  apples,  both  in  name  and 
quahty.  Those  bearing  the  name  "Delicious"  could  not  be  excelled 
— even  in  the  garden  of  Eden. 

A  few  years  ago  the  descendants  of  Joel  and  Mary  East  Pace 
started  what  was  intended  to  be  an  annual  reunion  and  two  or  three 
very  enjoyable  meetings  were  held,  but  the  later  "meets"  failed  to 
materialize. 

At  the  last  meeting,  a  full  board  of  officers  was  chosen  to  have 
charge  of  future  reunions  of  the  Pace  Reunion  and  about  a  hundred 
and  fifty  of  the  relationship  were  in  attendance,  eager  for  another 
"bout,"  but  some  of  the  officers  have  died  and  the  others  have 
"flunked"  and  so  the  next  reunion  has  never  been  held. 

The  Pace  family  is  an  old  one  in  this  county  and  in  the  nation. 
Joel  Pace,  Sr.,  was  fourteen  years  old,  and  his  wife  twelve  when  the 
Declaration  of  Independence  was  made.  The  family  record,  copied 
as  to  Christian  names  and  dates  of  birth  from  their  old  family  Bible, 
is  as  follows: 

Joel  Pace,  Sr.,  born  July  28,  1  762. 

Mary  East  Pace,  born  May  13,  1764. 

John  M.  Pace,  born  August  14,  I  783. 

Frances  Watson,  born  May  14,  1785. 

Jane  Tyler   (no  living  descendants),  born  August  5,   1787. 

Polly  Atwood,  born  August  5,  1  789. 

Joseph  and  Joel  Pace,  born  December  I ,  I  791 . 

Spencer  Pace,  born  May  8,  1  794. 

Lettia  Jackson,  born  July  4,  1  796. 

Patsey  Goodrich,  born  November  3,  1  798. 

Thomas  E.  Pace  (never  married),  born  February  26,  1801. 

William  W.  Pace,  born  February  23,  1803. 

Mily  Baugh,  born  August  1 4,  1 806. 

It  will  be  noticed  from  these  figures  that  twelve  children  were 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  227 

born  to  them  in  twenty-three  years  to  a  day — the  oldest  and  young- 
est child  being  born  on  August  1 4th,  twenty-three  years  apart. 

Thus  are  old  reunions  giving  way  to  the  new  and  we  old  peo- 
ple gradually  "lose  out."  There  is  no  reasonable  reason  why  this 
reunion  and  the  Old  Folks'  Association  might  not  have  been  kept 
up  for  all  time  as  there  seems  no  prospect  of  the  material  giving  out. 

The  Smith  family  in  Spring  Garden  township  and  other  family 
relationships  in  different  parts  of  the  county,  who  are  not  so  badly 
thronged  with  other  society  events  as  are  the  people  of  Mount  Ver- 
non, hold  their  annual  reunions,  and  enjoy  life.  Here  we  have  so 
many  society  fads,  so  many  classes,  casts,  clubs,  sets  and  functions, 
that  we  have  not  the  time  to  have  a  general  good  time  all  together, 
as  we  used  to  have,  before  the  "fads"  came  around.  But  such,  we 
suppose,  is  life,  in  all  up-to-date  cities  like  Mount  Vernon — whether 
it  brings  more  happiness  or  not. 

The  G.  A.  R.  reunions  are  the  only  ones  that  don't  become  old 
and  stale,  or  that  don't  lose  their  flavor,  and  even  they  are  being 
brought  into  disrepute  by  the  name  "soldiers'  reunion"  being  used  by 
fakirs,  boot-leggers  and  gamblers,  in  order  to  draw  the  people  to 
their  "slaughter  of  the  innocents."  The  old  soldiers  are  so  disgusted 
with  this  species  of  "false  pretenses"  that  they  have  quit  attending 
these  fetes,  and  they  justly  demand  that  these  frauds  cease  using 
the  name  "soldier  "  as  a  drawing  card. 

We  have  so  many  orders  now  that  they  almost  monopolize  the 
banquet  and  reunion  business.  One  or  more  of  these  reunions  take 
place  each  week,  either  by  the  Masons,  the  Knights  of  Pythias, 
Ben  Hurs,  Woodmen,  Red  Men,  Pocahontas  and  other  brother- 
hood or  sisterhood  orders,  and  these,  together  with  the  numerous 
family  reunions,  seem  to  block  out  the  neighborhood,  tovsmship  and 
county  reunions,  that  were  in  vogue  some  years  ago.  Another 
thing  that  ought  not  to  be,  is  the  disposition  on  the  part  of  the  "old- 


228  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

est  inhabitants"  to  count  themselves  "back  numbers"  and  abandon 
the  field  entirely  to  the  youngsters.  It  is  all  right  for  the  youngsters 
to  claim  seats  at  the  first  table  and  all  that,  but  it  is  not  good  taste — 
in  fact,  it  is  absolutely  wrong — to  crowd  the  old  people  into  the 
chimney  corner  and  not  allow  them  to  have  their  say.  And  it  is  not 
right  for  the  "old  folks"  to  permit  such  treatment  of  themselves. 
They  have  earned  the  front  seats  and  they  ought  to  claim  them. 

An  Old  Soldiers'  Reunion  of  the  right  kind  was  held  only  last 
night  and  the  local  paper's  account  of  it  is  correct.    Here  it  is : 

Gen.  C.  W.  Pavey  and  Mrs.  Pavey  left  today  for  Houston, 
Texas,  accompanied  by  their  son,  Eugene,  with  whom  they  will 
spend  the  winter. 

A  farewell  party  was  tendered  General  Pavey,  Monday  even- 
ing, by  a  detachment  of  his  old  soldier  friends  and  the  evening  was 
one  in  which  happenings  occurred  that  endeared  the  host  to  the 
hearts  of  the  guests  more  and  more  and  words  were  spoken  that 
made  impressions  that  not  even  time  can  obliterate.  Old  memories 
were  revived  by  the  stories  that  were  told  and  many  of  the  hardships 
of  '61  to  '65  were  told  again;  but  the  conditions  of  the  dark  days 
are  now  looked  back  upon  by  many  who  experienced  the  trials  as 
experiences  they  could  not  be  without,  but  do  not  care  to  partake  in 
a  repetition. 

General  Pavey  is  one  of  the  soldiers  whose  experiences  were 
among  the  hardest,  yet  he  tells  them  without  the  shadow  of  dread. 
He  is  one  of  the  best  known  soldiers  now  living  and  his  popularity 
does  not  stop  at  the  boundaries  of  his  home  city,  county  or  state, 
but  is  of  national  prominence.  He  has  held  many  offices  of  public 
trust  and  is  a  man  honored  and  respected  by  all.  His  last  service 
for  the  government  was  in  the  department  of  justice,  an  office  he  was 
compelled  to  give  up  on  account  of  declining  health. 

Smaller  and  smaller  each  day  become  the  ranks  of  the  brave 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  229 

boys  who  wore  the  blue,  and  brighter  and  brighter  do  the  gatherings, 
such  as  Monday  night,  become  to  the  soldiers.  They  have  lived  to 
see  war  become  a  science  instead  of  butchery,  and  while  there  may 
be  other  wars,  there  never  will  be  a  greater  cause  than  the  one  in 
which  they  took  part. 

The  gathering  of  old  comrades  seemed  to  put  new  life  in  the 
veins  of  General  Pavey  and  his  eyes  sparkled  with  delight.  He  ap- 
peared much  better  for  having  had  his  comrades  with  him  on  the  eve 
of  his  departure  and  was  touched  by  the  many  expressions  for  his 
welfare. 

But,  after  all,  the  reunion  we  all  want  to  attend  is  the  one  that 
has  no  end..  When  in  that  wondrous  hour,  that  glorious  day,  the 
mists  of  earth  shall  roll  away.  And  with  vision  bright,  we  shall 
cross  the  river  and  on  into  the  land  of  the  glorious  Son,  where  there 
is  no  night.  The  pearly  gates  will  open  wide  and  we  shall  there  be 
satisfied  in  heaven's  pure  light.  There  we  will  dwell  with  comrades 
gone  before  in  grand  reunions  evermore.    Till  then — good  night. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


THE  DEPARTED  ONES. 


Oldest  Settlers — All  Gone — Later  Comers  Fast  Following 
Them — A  New  Generation  Comes  in  as  the  old  Goes  out — Truth 
the  Only  Monument  That  Will  Stand  the  Test  of  Ages. 

"We  do  not  always  know,  dear  Lord, 

The  whys,  nor  when,  nor  where; 
But  this  we  know,  we  can  not  drift 

Beyond  your  love  and  care." 

Among  the  first  comers  were  Lewis  and  Frances  Johnson. 
They  had  a  daughter,  Anna.  About  the  same  time  came  Ransom 
Moss.  And  it  is  said  of  Ransom  and  Anna  that  they  moved  from 
the  same  county  in  Virginia  about  the  same  time  to  the  same  place 
in  Tennessee,  then  from  that  state  to  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  with- 
out becoming  acquainted.  They  were  also  both  the  same  age — born 
in  1  798  on  the  same  day.  Mr.  Moss  had  been  married  and  was  the 
father  of  Lucillius  C.  Moss,  who  figured  in  the  early  history  of 
Mount  Vernon  and  died  at  an  advanced  age  in  Ashley  a  few  years 
ago.  Moss  and  Anna  Johnson  met  and  married — said  to  be  the 
first  marriage  in  Jefferson  county — which  marriage  ceremony  was 
performed  by  William  Casey — ^wherein  Zadok  Casey  said  William 
announced  that  "marriage  was  ordained  in  the  days  of  man's  igno- 
rance." To  Ransom  and  Anna  were  born  eight  children — five  boys 
and  three  girls,  the  first  being  Thomas  L.,  the  father  of  Thaddeus 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  231 

C,  W.  D.  and  "Judge"  and  Mrs.  George  W.  Smith,  Mrs.  J.  L. 
Fergerson  and  Mrs.  William  Maxey;  James  F.,  who  lived  and  died 
in  Jersey  county;  William;  John  Riley,  who  married  George  W. 
Allen's  daughter  and  they  were  the  parents  of  Angus  I.,  farmer  and 
stock  raiser  of  Shiloh  township ;  Norman  H..  lawyer,  of  Mount  Ver- 
non ;  a  daughter  who  married  Doctor  McAnnually,  of  Carbondale ; 
Lillie,  who  married  a  Mr.  Neal,  of  Knoxville,  Tennessee;  and  Dr. 
Harry  Moss,  of  Albion,  Illinois.  Capt.  John  R.  recently  died  at 
the  home  of  Harry  in  Albion,  and  was  buried  at  Oakwood  cemetery 
near  here.  Then  came  Elizabeth,  Amanda  and  Nancy,  the  latter 
of  whom  is  the  wife  of  James  C.  Maxey,  of  Mount  Vernon — both 
being  well  advanced  in  age. 

Ransom  Moss  died  in  1835.  After  the  lapse  of  time  his 
widow,  Anna,  married  a  Mr.  Latham,  from  which  union  was  born 
Samuel  Latham,  who  served  as  postmaster  of  Mount  Vernon  in 
the  seventies.  Latham  died,  and  Anna,  or  "Grandma  Moss"  as 
she  was  better  known,  lived  a  widow  for  fifty  years,  until  she  died 
in  great  peace  in  Mount  Vernon  in  October,  1 890,  aged  ninety-two 
years  and  a  half.  Her  descendants  number  about  two  hundred 
souls,  running  down  to  the  fifth  generation.  She  was  mother, 
grandmother,  great-grandmother  and  great-great-grandmother.  For 
eighty  years  she  was  a  consistent  member  of  the  Methodist  church 
and  lived  a  faithful  Christian. 

"Life's  labor  done  as  sinks  the  day. 

Light  from  its  load  the  spirit  flies. 
While  heaven  and  earth  combine  to  say 

How  blest  the  righteous  when  she  dies." 

Judge  J.  R.  Satterfield,  who  served  the  people  so  long  and  in 
so  many  offices,  married  Elizabeth  Johnson  in  1833,  and  they  were 


232  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co..  ill. 

the  parents  of  ten  children:  Ed  V.;  John  N.;  Mary  E. ;  Mrs.  Pru- 
dence Fry;  Mrs.  Martha  Cooper;  Maud;  James  R. ;  William  R. ; 
Rebecca  and  Laura.  They  are  all  gone,  except  Mrs.  Cooper  and 
Laura.  At  an  advanced  age  he  was  buried  at  Old  Union  twenty 
years  ago  and  his  aged  wife  a  few  years  later. 

Thomas  H.  Hobbs  married  a  Miss  Holtsclaw  in  1843  and 
Henry  Hobbs,  the  machinist  who  died  recently,  was  their  son.  The 
wife  died  and  Mr.  Hobbs  took  Ellen  Guthrie  to  wife  and  Charles 
A. ;  Alva  L. ;  Edward  and  Homer  were  their  children.  Mr.  Hobbs 
was  well  known  as  an  enterprising  citizen,  a  Republican.  Odd  Fel- 
low and  a  Methodist. 

S.  T.  Stratton  was  a  later  comer,  but  a  valuable  citizen — full 
of  business  enterprise — filled  well  his  mission  and  died  full  of  years 
and  honor.  His  children :  R.  L. ;  Charles  T. ;  A.  M. ;  Mrs.  A. 
C.  Johnson ;  Mrs.  R.  F.  Pace ;  Rynd,  the  hardware  man ;  and  Miss 
Anna.  David  and  Mrs.  Dr.  Johnson  and  R.  L.  are  the  only  ones 
left. 

J.  E.  Fergerson  came  from  Tennessee  in  the  fifties,  farmed  and 
merchandised  successfully,  until  age  stopped  him.  He  was  father 
of  James,  John  L.  and  Frank  by  his  Tennessee  wife.  He  married 
a  Mrs.  Westcott  and  farmed  on  the  Centralia  road  for  a  while.  His 
wife  died  and  he  came  to  town,  formed  a  partnership  with  Stratton 
and  they  together  made  things  lively  for  a  season.  He  then  married 
Rev.  G.  W.  Allen's  girl,  Sarah,  and  reared  another  family:  Mrs. 
John  Mahaffy;  Mrs.  Deeds,  of  Nashville,  Tennessee;  Mrs.  Hill 
Williams  (dead)  ;  Mrs.  Stuckey  and  Mrs.  Scott,  being  his  daugh- 
ters, with  two  girls  and  one  boy  dead.  His  widow  is  still  with  us. 
He  was  a  way-back  Methodist. 

Sam  Gibson  married  a  Newby  and  raised  a  family  consisting 
of  four  boys  and  three  girls — all  useful  people  in  the  communities  in 
which  they  live.  Uncle  Sam  is  still  enjoying  life,  a  good  citizen  and 
a  Christian. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL,  233 

The  names  of  the  "first  families,"  such  as  the  Tuntstalls,  Hicks, 
Reardens,  Nortons,  Snodgrasses,  Parsons,  Upshaws,  Crabtrees, 
Adams,  Dickens,  Southwards,  Porters,  Eastes,  Fosters,  Mays  and 
others,  who  figured  in  the  early  years  of  the  town,  have  entirely  dis- 
appeared, with  not  even  a  descendant  to  speak  for  them.  But  they 
performed  their  part  and  passed  on. 

Jarvis  Pierce  went  to  Harrisburg  and  was  a  "court-house  fix- 
ture" there  till  he  died.  James,  one  of  his  boys,  was  elected  County 
Clerk  there  and  served  many  years.  David  Hobbs  and  Aaron 
Yearwood  came  in  1826.  Robert  Breeze  and  Joseph  McMeens 
settled  up  towards  Jordan's  Prairie,  1827.  Enoch  Holtsclaw  and 
Sam  Cummins  came  in  1828;  also  the  Bullocks,  Billington  Taylor, 
Caleb  Barr,  Elisha  Meyers,  Peter  Owen,  William  Finch,  Thomas 
Nichols.  But  it  is  impossible  to  keep  this  up.  This  brings  us  up  to 
1830. 

The  Barretts  came  in  the  thirties.  The  last  one  of  them  is 
dead,  except  Cyrus  A.  He  is  in  Ashley,  totally  blind,  but  draws  a 
full  pension. 

The  Tromleys  are  all  gone — George  A.  lives  at  Fairfield  and 
Lawrence  and  Theodore  are  still  in  the  printing  business  at  Galena, 
Missouri.    Theodore  has  just  been  elected  to  the  Legislature. 

All  the  men  of  the  Ham  National  Bank — Ham  Taylor,  Grant 
Holland,  Noah  Johnston — are  gone.  Mrs.  Ham  is  still  living 
with  her  two  sons,  Sidney  and  Grant,  and  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Mar- 
tha Pavey,  Evans,  of  the  other  bank,  is  gone,  and  absenteeism  is  the 
rule  rather  than  the  exception. 

The  Warrens,  the  Scanks,  the  Millers,  the  Klines,  of  the  early 
day  are  all  gone.  The  Frizzells  died  with  the  cholera  in  1 849  and 
a  row  of  tombstones  mark  their  graves  in  Old  Union.  In  fact, 
nearly  all  the  good  people  of  "our  day"  seem  to  have  left  us  to 
"fight  it  out,"  that  is,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  chums,  like  the 


234  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

Baugh  boys,  Dick  Lyon,  Rynd  Stratton,  and  perhaps  a  few  more 
of  about  our  age. 

Roda  Allen,  grandfather  to  Hibe  and  Jack  Allen,  was  the 
first  one  to  be  buried  at  Union  graveyard,  in  1820.  The  spot  is 
marked  by  a  neat  monument  erected  by  his  grandson.  Rev.  S.  K. 
Allen.  The  gravestones  in  Union,  Salem,  Pleasant  Grove,  Hope- 
well, Sursa,  Bethel  and  even  Oakwood  cemeteries,  contain  several 
names  not  now  claimed  by  any  living  persons  in  this  community. 

All  the  old  Caseys  are  dead,W.  Barger,  son  of  Uncle  Tommy, 
being  the  oldest  one  we  know  of.  He  still  lives  in  Mount  Vernon 
and  pursues  the  even  tenor  of  his  way — just  as  he  always  did.  He 
can  tell  you  all  about  the  Caseys. 

The  old  Maxeys,  too,  are  gone,  Capt.  S.  T.  and  James  C. 
being  the  oldest  ones  left.  They  are  still  hale,  hearty  and  useful 
citizens. 

The  old  Johnsons  are  also  missing.  Washington  S.,  son  of 
"Uncle  Jackey,"  Abraham  C,  son  of  "Uncle  Jimmy,"  and Leander 
C,  son  of  John  T.,  being  the  only  old  "seedlings"  left,  and  there 
is  multiplying  evidence  that  we  are  passing  away — we  are  living  in 
another  generation.  Wesley  Johnson's  widow  is  still  living,  quite 
aged.  Her  children  are:  Thomas  and  Harry,  Florence,  Emma 
and  Lucy,  at  home,  Sallie  Coberly,  married.  Fletcher's  widow  is 
also  still  living  and  her  children  are:  Mrs.  Mary  Moyer,  Eva, 
(deceased).  Susie  and  Mattie,  and  Willie,  dead.  They  are  some 
of  our  best  people. 

The  George  Mills  family  has  been  missing  for  years,  but  a 
couple  of  the  boys — now  old  men — are  farming  in  Dodds  township. 

"Uncle  Cannon"  Maxey's  son,  Tom,  died  last  year  at  an  ad- 
vanced age. 

Doctor  Piercy,  Claib  Harper  and  the  old  stock  of  Shiloh  have 
given  place  to  new  blood. 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  235 

The  Laceys,  except  Bob's  father,  A.  T.,  who  still  lives  at  a 
great  age,  have  passed  on  before. 

And  even  those  who  came  here  in  the  forties,  after  the  writer 
did,  have  been  called  "old  settlers"  and  passed  off  the  stage  of 
action.  The  Greens,  the  Fergersons,  the  Strattans,  the  Tolles,  the 
Herdmans,  the  Hobbs,  the  Gibsons. 

Doctor  Gray  and  his  tribe  are  all  gone ;  so  with  the  Dan  Balt- 
zel  family,  and  the  Thorn  family,  and  the  Doctor  Short  tribe,  and 
largely  so  with  the  Newby  people.  The  Bowmans  are  all  gone; 
the  Paces  have  largely  decreased  in  numbers ;  the  Hinmans  are  out 
but  Bob  and  children ;  the  Bennetts  are  unknown  to  this  generation, 
the  Melchers  are  absent;  the  Ridgways  are  gone;  the  well  known 
fist  fighters  who  used  to  come  to  town  and  whom  everybody  knew, 
are  doing  the  pioneers  stunt  in  some  other  unexplored  country;  the 
Andersons,  prominent  as  they  were,  are  no  more  seen  upon  our 
streets ;  Noah  Johnston  has  but  one  representative  left — his  son,  Ed. 
And  even  Zadok  Casey,  the  noblest  Roman,  nay,  the  noblest  Amer- 
ican of  them  all,  has  but  one  representative  left  among  us,  and  he  a 
grandson,  Sam  Casey. 

The  great  fire  that  burned  out  the  Phoenix  Block,  occurred 
March  17,  1868.  C.  L.  Hayes  lost  twelve  hundred  dollars  in  his 
printing  outfit,  but  was  soon  on  his  feet  with  another  press  and  re- 
sumed the  publication  of  the  Free  Press. 

Judge  Satterfield  died  in  1887,  his  oldest  son,  E.  V.,  in  1898, 
and  John  N.  a  few  years  before. 

A.  M.  Grant  died  in  1889,  his  wife  in  1883. 

George  H.  Varnell  died  in  1889.  His  wife  is  still  living, 
quite  old  and  an  invalid.  The  children  are:  George,  John  and 
Tiney,  and  Mrs.  Tate. 

John  S.  Bogan  died  in  1892.  His  wife  is  still  living,  as  also 
his  sons,  William  and  Frank,  and  daughter,  Mrs.  Marsh  Goodale. 
Mrs.  W.  T.  Goodrich,  and  Mrs.  N.  C.  Pace,  widow. 


236  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

James  B.  ToUe  came  in  1843  and  was  the  first  to  put  up  a 
modern  mill  near  town.  His  children  were:  Lewis,  in  St.  Louis; 
Charles,  Bert,  Mary,  deceased;  and  Alice,  here.  Brother  ToUe 
was  a  thorough  three-link  man  and  the  links  that  suited  him  best 
were  the  Methodist  church,  the  Republican  party  and  the  Odd 
Fellows. 

Edward  McAtee  came  in  early,  married  W.  B.  Thorn's 
daughter,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  James  W.,  Theodore  and 
Charles  A.,  and  the  McAtee  girls. 

Pollock,  Varnell,  Tanner,  and  others,  who  have  done  nobly, 
all  of  them  have  hoed  out  their  row  and  gone  home,  and  in  their 
places  we  behold  an  entire  new  set  of  bread  winners,  battling  for  the 
bread  and  meat  that  perisheth — just  as  the  old  settlers  did  during 
their  sojourn  here. 

A  fact — and  it  is  a  fact — worth  mentioning  here,  is  this :  There 
is  not  a  man  now  in  sight  that  was  in  business  here  in  1 842  when  the 
writer  first  came  to  Mount  Vernon — all  gone.  James  M.  Pace  was 
the  last  to  go  and  he  was  then  only  a  clerk  in  his  father's  store.  We 
believe  H.  T.  Pace's  youngest  son,  A.  N.,  is  still  living  in  Florida, 
but  his  grandson,  William  T.,  and  his  sister,  Mrs.  Dr.  Plummer, 
are  the  only  representatives  of  the  H.  T.  Pace  family  here.  Another 
fact  is  that  there  is  not  a  house  in  sight  in  the  limits  of  Mount  Ver- 
non that  was  a  house  then,  except  the  old  Methodist  church,  which 
is  now  being  used  as  a  lumber  yard  office  on  Eleventh  street  and  the 
part  of  the  old  H.  T.  Pace  store  house,  being  torn  down,  now  on 
Johnson  alley,  having  been  used  as  a  carpenter  shop.  So  the  reader 
can  readily  see  the  importance  of  renewmg  their  Jefferson  county 
history — at  least  every  twenty-five  years. 

We  have  just  been  presented  with  a  copy  of  the  "Unionist," 
published  by  the  writer  in  Mount  Vernon  in  November,  1863,  and 
the  list  of  business  men  in  town  then  were: 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  237 

Merchants — J.  Pace  &  Son,  corner  of  Main  and  Union;  H. 
T.  Pace,  S.  W.  corner  Main  and  Union;  R.  W.  Lyon,  N.  E. 
corner  Bunyan  and  Union;  T.  H.  Hobbs  &  Co.,  S.  E.  corner  Union 
and  Bunyan;  Stratton  &  Fergerson,  N.  E.  corner  Bunyan  and 
Washington;  J.  F.  Watson,  Main,  below  Washington  and  Union; 
D.  Baltzel  &  Son,  Main,  corner  Casey.  Johnson  &  Ham,  S.  W. 
corner  Main  and  Casey. 

Groceries — W.  D.  Watson,  Union,  north  of  Main;  E.  J. 
Winton,  Main,  below  Union  and  Washington ;  John  Kleine,  Main, 
one  door  west  of  J.  F.  Watson. 

Clothing — M.  Ehrman,  Main,  and  H.  W.  Seimer,  merchant 
tailor. 

Saddlery  and  Harness — J.  C.  Dawson,  D.  C.  Warren,  W.  B. 
Thorn. 

Boots  and  Shoes — John  Hampel,  William  Fancher,  J.  R. 
Palmer. 

Wagons  and  Carriages — Ira  G.  Carpenter,  R.  C.  Jarrell. 

Blacksmithing — W.  H.  Herdman,  Hardin  Davisson. 

Alas!     Where  are  they  now? 

In  this  paper  were  the  returns  of  an  election  held  for  County 
School  Commissioners.  The  writer  had  been  put  on  the  Union  ticket 
to  lead  the  "forlorn  hope,"  knowing  that  there  would  be  no  chance 
of  election.  The  Democratic  majority  against  him  was  six  hundred 
and  twenty-one,  whereas  the  majority  against  the  Union  candidate 
for  Congress  at  same  election  was  eleven  hundred  and  twenty-one. 

Rev.  W.  T.  Williams,  father  of  John  D.  and  William  T., 
was  then  pastor  of  the  Christian,  or  Campbellite,  church,  and  Rev. 
Gordon  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

Dr.  E.  E.  Welborn  was  keeping  drug  store  where  the  Grand 
Hotel  now  stands  and  Ed  Noble  had  just  quit  the  tinner's  business 
to  go  to  Centralia  and  become  landlord  of  the  Merritt  hotel. 


238  wall's  history  of  jefferson  cc,  ill. 

The  Collins  are  all  gone  but  John  and  family.  His  cheerful 
"get  up"  can  still  be  heard  out  among  the  teams.  His  mother.  Lydia 
Watson  Collins,  is  living  with  her  other  son,  Ogie,  at  Arthur. 

The  colored  contingent,  Caesar  and  Maria,  Aaron  and  even 
"Old  Hodge,"  over  the  creek,  are  all  gone,  but  others  have  come  in 
their  places. 

The  fellows  who  used  to  forage  and  get  chickens  for  Maria 
to  "burgoo"  are  also  missing.  We  remember  one  night  the  other 
fellows  left  Asa  Watson  to  help  Maria  get  up  the  supper  while  they 
went  out  and  got  the  chickens.  When  they  came  in  with  them, 
Asa  saw  in  a  moment  they  had  taken  them  from  his  own  roost.  Asa 
"got  even"  with  them  at  supper,  but  we  will  have  to  whisper  in  your 
ears  just  how  he  did  it. 

And  so  it  will  be  seen  that  we  are  all  going  somewhere  else — 
and  it  is  important  to  each  individual  to  know  where.  Happily  we 
need  not  be  left  in  the  dark,  for  "we  know  Him"  in  whom  we  have 
trusted,  and  that  hath  prepared  mansions  of  joy  and  rest  for  us,  for, 
spiritually  speaking,  we  can  all  exclaim  with  one  of  old 

"Thou  reasonest  well. 

It  must  be  so ; 
Else  whence  these  pleasing  hopes. 

These  fond  desires — 
This  longing  after  immortality?" 

or  if  we  appeal  to  nature,  we  find  that 

Back  of  the  bread,  the  grinding  mill. 
Back  of  the  mill,  the  reaper's  task; 
Back  of  this,  the  Father's  will 
And  blessings  more  than  we  can  ask. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  239 

Back  of  honest  toil,  the  rain  and  sun. 
Back  of  these,  the  productive  sod ; 
And  back  of  all  our  work — when  done — 
We  come — we  come — to  God. 

There  is  absolutely  nowhere  else  to  go — except  to  the  devil — and 
we  hope  that  no  reader  of  Wall's  Jefferson  County  History  will 
dare  do  that. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

MOUNT  VERNON. 

Post-Office — Its  History — and  Others.  Telegraphs,  Tele- 
phones, etc.  Other  Speedy  Modes  of  Communication. 

Here  comes  Uncle  Sam, 
Who  acknowledges  no  fetters; 
His  knapsack  fully  crammed 
With  letters,  letters,  letters. 

No  institution,  governmental  or  otherwise,  comes  near  touch- 
ing all  the  people  in  everyday  life  for  the  year  round  than  does  the 
post-office  and  the  business  transacted  by  the  authorized  agent  of 
"Uncle  Sam."  The  post-office  is  strictly  a  business  institution,  the 
business  barometer  of  every  city,  town  and  village,  readily  showing 
the  rise  and  fall  of  prosperity.  If  the  business  of  the  post-office 
shows  a  healthy  increase  there  is  increasing  prosperity  in  the  city  or 
town.  If  on  the  contrary  the  receipts  of  post-office  show  a  decrease, 
the  prosperity  of  the  place  is  tending  in  the  same  direction. 

Notwithstanding  this  fact,  however,  each  town  and  city  has 
scores  of  people,  some  of  them  in  business,  who  do  not  seem  to  realize 
that  they  might  materially  aid  the  business  of  the  post-office  by  a 
little  forethough  in  the  transaction  of  their  everyday  business.  Many 
instead  of  dispatching  whatever  they  may  desire  to  send  abroad 
through  the  mails,  rush  off  to  the  express  office  and  pay  extra  prices 
to  foreign  trust  companies  for  the  services,  and  this  too,  while  the 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  241 

post-office  is  the  local  institution  of  the  people  themselves — instituted 
by  the  government  for  the  people  in  their  respective  localities,  and 
operated  by  their  own  people  for  their  own  benefit.  For  it  is  a  well 
known  fact  that  the  only  place  that  the  government  comes  in  contact 
with  the  people,  when  they  are  brought  to  realize  its  beneficence,  is 
through  their  post-office,  where  it  provides  for  them  fast  mails,  cheap 
rates,  free  delivery  and  the  most  accommodating  public  servants  in 
the  country,  aside  from  securing  the  best  and  cheapest  modes  of 
sending  and  receiving  money  and  other  valuable  articles.  Every 
man,  woman  and  child  should  know  that  they  can  send  through  the 
mails  most  any  instrument  of  manuscript  safer  and  cheaper  than  they 
can  send  same  by  an  express  company,  which  has  no  interest  in  the 
city  except  its  one  representative.  As  to  merchandise,  the  mails  also 
afford  cheaper  and  quicker  delivery.  This  is  especially  true  as  to 
other  classes  of  goods,  such  as  papers,  books,  etc. 

As  showing  the  demonstration  of  these  facts,  we  begin  away 
back  at  the  time  Mount  Vernon  was  laid  off.  At  first  the  pioneers 
had  no  post-office  and  no  means  of  communication  with  or  receiving 
information  from  the  outside  world.  Imagine  if  you  can  what  the 
town  would  be  today  were  it  in  the  same  condition.  Of  course,  after 
a  few  years,  the  people  felt  the  need  of  a  post-office  and  mail  facili- 
ties and  a  post-office  was  finally  ordained,  and  a  mail  route  estab- 
lished to  run  from  Shawneetown  to  Alton,  and  later,  one  from  Me- 
tropolis to  Salem,  and  of  course  Mount  Vernon  got  the  benefit  of 
these  routes,  but  the  mail  amounted  to  but  little  for  several  years. 
It  was  difficult  to  get  anybody  to  act  as  postmaster  for  there  was 
responsibility  and  no  pay.  It  is  said  while  Uncle  Joel  Pace  held 
about  all  the  county  offices  he  also  had  to  discharge  the  duties  of 
postmaster.  As  in  all  new  villages  some  one  in  other  business  was 
usually  pressed  into  the  service  as  postmaster.  After  passing  the 
task  around  for  some  time,  Downing  Baugh  (father  of  J.  V.  and 

16 


242  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

J.  W.)  assumed  the  duties  of  postmaster.  A  little  later,  the  plum 
was  transfered  to  Noah  Johnston,  who  after  operating  it  a  while  in- 
stalled Daniel  Kenney,  a  peculiar  character  who  happened  along  as 
a  tramp  tailor,  but  a  prominent  Mason,  and  allowed  him  the  sal- 
ary for  the  service.  Some  of  the  older  inhabitants  will  remember 
old  man  Kenney,  who  spit  and  sputtered  when  he  didn't  want  to 
be  disturbed,  and  how  he  used  to  call  letters  over  to  the  crowd  after 
the  tri-weekly  and  daily  stage  came  in,  and  how  he  seemed  to  think 
everybody  should  be  there  to  claim  their  letters,  without  disturbing 
him  in  the  interim.  Without  contest  the  old  man  was  allowed  to 
conduct  the  office  until  after  President  Lincoln  was  inaugarated  in 
1861.  The  old  man  Kenney  had  the  office  in  a  little  shack  near 
the  new  Presbyterian  church.  The  old  man  died  soon  after  giving 
up  the  office  and  was  buried  by  the  Masons. 

Amos  B.  Barrett  was  appointed  postmaster  by  President  Lin- 
coln and  he  located  the  office  on  Main  street  about  the  middle  of 
what  is  now  Pace  block.  The  war  came  on  and  Barrett  made  him- 
self quite  popular  as  the  soldier's  friend  in  sending  and  receiving  let- 
ters to  and  from  the  front.  Barrett,  however,  did  not  hold  up  so 
well,  after  the  war — he  changed  his  politics  and  religion  and  finally 
died  in  Arkansas  poor  and  friendless.  Under  Andrew  Johnson, 
Will  Baugh  was  appointed  postmaster  and  he  installed  J.  V.  to  act, 
which  he  did  very  satisfactorily  until  President  Grant  appointed 
S.  K.  Latham,  who  moved  the  office  to  a  grocery  store  on  the  north 
side  and  served  twelve  years;  Barrett  again  got  into  the  office  as 
helper.  After  Latham,  came  Robert  Hinman,  who  served  two 
terms  as  postmaster  in  an  acceptable  manner.  He  had  the  office 
in  the  Johnson  block  where  the  Boston  store  now  is.  When  Cleve- 
land was  elected  Robert  F.  Pace  was  appointed  postmaster  and 
was  assisted  by  his  sister.  Miss  Gussie  Pace.  He  removed  the  office 
to  the  Bond  block  on  Broadway,  where  it  was  considerably  shook 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  243 

up  by  the  cyclone  in  February,  1888.  He  was  followed  by  the 
writer,  John  A.  Wall,  who  moved  the  office  into  the  Harrison  block, 
south  side  of  the  square.  He  was  assisted  by  Ed  Stratton,  Al  Wall, 
Vesta  Polk,  and  Bessie  Wall  and  May  Miller.  During  his  in- 
cumbency he  weekly  handled  the  Progressive  Farmer,  nearly  fifty 
thousand  copies,  which  afforded  the  most  work  for  the  least  pay 
ever  recorded  in  the  office — dividing  and  sending  out  a  stake-wagon 
load  of  papers  each  week  to  different  states,  largely  to  single  sub- 
scribers. He  served  nearly  five  years  and  brought  the  office  up  to 
a  paymg  basis. 

Mr.  Wall  was  succeeded  by  Allan  C.  Tanner,  who  removed 
the  office  to  the  room  now  occupied  by  Buckham's  drug  store.  Wall 
continued  with  him  until  1895,  when  he  quit,  was  elected  assessor 
and  assessed  Mount  Vernon  township.  In  1897,  Samuel  H.  Wat- 
son was  appointed  to  succeed  Tanner.  At  this  time  the  office  was 
changed  from  third  to  second  class  and  Watson  took  hold  of  it  de- 
termined to  make  it  first-class,  as  to  the  service  performed.  He  se- 
cured a  lease  on  the  building  now  occupied,  from  Doctor  and  Albert 
Watson,  making  the  government  responsible  for  all  charges  for  rent, 
lights,  fuel,  etc.  John  A.  Wall  again  came  in  as  assistant  postmas- 
ter, and  at  various  times  during  this  administration  the  office  had  as 
clerks:  Omer  Pace,  Ray  Hitchcock,  Walter  Gibson,  James 
Mitchell,  Wainwright  Davis,  J.  W.  Maddox,  Harry  Rice,  Mary 
Malton  and  Nellie  Woodworth,  all  good  helpers,  the  only  draw- 
backs being  that  no  sooner  was  the  young  clerk  installed  than  he 
would  get  married,  and  have  to  divide  his  attention  somewhat  be- 
tween the  mails  and  the  females.  Four  were  thus  married  in  four 
years.  Miss  Mary  Malton  was  the  only  one  saved  from  the  matri- 
monial wreck,  she  having  served  from  1 900  until  now,  and  is  counted 
one  of  the  best  post-office  experts  in  the  business  and  is  head  of  the 
civil  service  examinations. 


244  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

Under  postmaster  Watson,  both  city  and  rural  delivery  were 
established,  not  only  as  to  Mount  Vernon,  but  as  to  the  other  parts 
of  the  county  as  well.  Through  his  untiring  efforts  he  had  twenty- 
seven  rural  routes  established,  traversing  nearly  every  part  of  the 
county,  making  Mount  Vernon  the  starting  point  for  ten  of  these 
routes.  It  would  be  interesting  to  give  some  statistics  showing  that 
at  no  period  of  the  office's  history  has  there  been  such  a  boom  as 
under  the  never  waning  energy  and  business  determination  of  post- 
master Watson.  He  brought  the  income  of  the  office  up  from  nine 
thousand  dollars  per  annum  to  sixteen  thousand  dollars,  and  he  left 
the  service  with  the  assurance  from  the  department  that  the  record 
of  the  Mount  Vernon  post-office  was  the  best  in  the  state  excepting 
one.  But  while  the  civil  service  law  and  the  rule  of  the  department 
both  seemed  to  insure  a  continuance  of  the  faithful  and  eminently 
useful  administration  of  Capt.  S.  H.  Watson  and  his  assistants,  un- 
dersirable  political  methods  decreed  that  a  good  record  and  the  en- 
forcement of  the  civil  service  rules  in  the  Mount  Vernon  post-office 
must  not  get  in  the  way  of  paying  political  debts  or  fulfilling  the 
condition  of  political  trades  and  swaps,  so  Watson  was  let  out  and 
G.  Gale  Gilbert  let  in. 

ROSTER   OF   POST-OFFICE   FORCE   AT   PRESENT. 

G.  Gale  Gilbert,  postmaster;  Ray  W.  Hitchcock,  assistant 
postmaster. 

Clerks— Miss  Nellie  Woodworth,  Miss  Mary  Malton,  Robert 
L.  Lacey,  Charles  N.  Moss,  Fred  F.  Marlow,  Hal  D.  Goodale. 

City  Carriers — Oscar  O.  Stitch,  Chester  T.  Taylor,  Arthur  O. 
Cummings,  Dan  G.  Melton,  Ralph  McBrian,  John  E.  Ore. 

Rural  Carriers — Henry  B.  Setzkorn,  Lambert  O.  Thompson, 
Walter  H.  Newton,    John  H.   Hestwood,    James    N.  Stockard, 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  245 

George  W.  Smith,  Henry  G.  Melton,  John  T.  Marteeny,  Abram 
Metcalf,  Lorenzo  H.  Lively. 

Total  receipts  for  sale  of  stamps,  stamp  paper,  etc.,  for  year 
ending  June  30,  1908— $1  7,165.12. 

Total  amount  of  money  orders  issued  and  fees  on  same  for 
same  year — $47,337.51. 

Total  amount  of  money  orders  paid  for  the  year — $57,839.44. 

So  it  will  be  seen  that  the  trend  of  the  Mount  Vernon  post- 
office  is  continuously  onward  and  upward.  The  carrier's  force  is  the 
same  as  under  the  former  administration.  The  office  clerks  force 
is  different  except  as  to  the  lady  clerks.  Misses  Malton  and  Wood- 
worth. 

The  post-office  at  other  towns  in  the  county  have  had  some  of 
the  same  experiences  as  Mount  Veriion.  Dix,  Woodlawn,  Walton- 
ville,  Bonnie,  Ina,  Belle  Rive,  Opdyke,  Bluford,  Marlow  and  Em- 
merson  City,  all  have  well  conducted  post-offices,  most  of  them  oper- 
ating rural  routes.  Most  of  the  cross  roads  post-offices  have  given 
away  to  those  rural  routes,  which  serve  all  the  people  better  than  did 
the  offices.  The  one  thing  needed  to  perfect  this  mail  service  in 
Jefferson  county,  is  good  roads,  so  that  none  of  the  routes  may  he 
held  up  in  bad  weather.  It  was  part  of  the  plan  on  the  part  of  the 
government  to  require  townships  to  keep  their  roads  in  order  as  a 
return  for  free  mail  delivery,  but  we  regret  to  say  that  this  is  not 
being  carried  out.  With  the  government  giving  this  free  mail  deliv- 
ery at  great  expense  to  the  people,  business  men,  farmers  and  others 
certainly  ought  to  be  willing  to  make  an  effort  to  make  good  roads, 
thus  adding  to  their  own  conveniences  as  well  as  to  the  price  of  their 
farms,  and  the  good  opinion  not  only  of  the  Jefferson  county  his- 
torian, but  of  all  visitors  to  the  county. 

The  annual  report  of  the  pastmaster  general,  just  out,  discloses 
a  deficit  of  sixteen  million  nine  hundred  and  ten  thousand,  two  hun- 


246  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

dred  and  seventy-eight  dollars,  the  largest  in  the  history  of  the  de- 
partment. The  chief  cause  of  the  deficit  is  the  increase  of  the  rural 
free  delivery  system,  which  cost  thirty-four  million,  three  hundred 
and  sixty-one  thousand,  four  hundred  and  sixty-three  dollars.  The 
postmaster  general  recommends  now  a  parcel  post  addition  to  the 
rural  delivery,  believing  that  it  would  be  not  only  of  great  benefit 
to  the  farmers,  but  would  earn  millions  for  the  postal  service.  Fur- 
thermore, it  is  urged  that  such  a  service  would  help  the  small  local 
stores.  Says  Meyer:  "Were  the  post-office  department  a  modern 
business  corporation,  its  board  of  directors  would  not  hesitate  forty- 
eight  hours  to  utilize  the  present  machinery  and  establish  a  limited 
local  parcel  post  on  rural  routes."  A  two-cent  rate  is  now  in  oper- 
ation between  the  United  States  and  both  England  and  Germany, 
and  the  demand  for  cheaper  postage  has  certainly  gone  to  the  limit. 
Better  let  the  rate  of  postage  rest  and  strain  every  nerve  to  bring  it 
up  to  paying  basis,  the  business  of  the  department.  Nobody  has  a 
right  to  complain  of  a  two-cent  postage  rate,  especially  in  view  of 
the  facilities  and  accommodations  afforded  by  the  government.  The 
railroads  and  improved  steamships  have  made  mails  possible  and 
cheap  everywhere,  and  the  mails  in  turn  have  wiped  out  state  lines 
and  brought  the  national  lion  and  lamb  to  the  point  of  lying  down 
together.  The  mail  is  the  great  civilizer.  It  has  been  and  is  the 
mother  of  commerce.  It  will  one  day  sheath  the  sword  and  spike  the 
cannon. 

TELEGRAPHS  AND  TELEPHONES,  ETC. 

"We've  sparks  from  the  wires  by  hand. 

Both  electric  and  dumb. 
And  thoughts  o'er  sea  and  land. 

Wonder  what  else  will  come." 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  247 

The  telegraph  came  with  the  railroads  and  held  full  sway  until 
the  telephones  came  along  and  divided  time  with  them.  The  roads 
are  now  using  both  the  telegraph  and  the  telephone  in  their  busi- 
ness. The  Western  Union  Telegraph  Company  have  an  up-town 
office  with  Joseph  Medders  in  charge;  they  also  have  a  machine  in 
the  Car  Manufacturing  Company's  office,  as  also  the  telephone. 
The  Bell  Telephone  Company  has  their  system  in  full  sway  in 
Mount  Vernon,  and  seem  to  render  good  service.  We  also  have 
several  independent  lines  extending  through  the  rural  districts.  So 
in  the  matter  of  receiving  or  sending  news  we  are  up-to-date.  To 
appreciate  our  condition,  in  this  respect,  we  need  only  contrast  the 
recent  election  with  those  held  in  the  early  settlement  of  the  county, 
when  it  took  two  months  to  learn  the  result  of  a  Presidential  election. 
Now  we  can  know  by  midnight  of  the  day  of  election,  just  what 
has  occurred.  Yes,  indeed,  we  are  living  in  a  fast  age.  Away  back 
in  1 848,  when  Timothy  Condit  used  to  take  and  read  the  only  daily 
paper  that  came  to  Mount  Vernon,  we  were  deeply  interested  one 
day  in  hearing  what  purported  to  be  a  dispatch  from  Queen  Victoria 
to  President  Buchanan,  said  to  have  been  sent  over  the  first  submarine 
cable  laid  in  the  waters  of  the  Atlantic,  which  would  permit  us  to 
hear  the  news  from  Europe  in  a  few  minutes,  whereas  before  it  took 
about  a  month.  We  confess  we  had  some  doubts  about  the  authen- 
ticity of  the  dispatch  and  when  in  a  few  days  we  learned  that  the 
cable  had  parted,  we  were  sure  it  was  a  mistake.  But  it  was  not, 
and  now  we  have  submarine  cables  in  full  operation  between  all 
countries  of  the  world,  and  the  daily  papers  of  today  tell  us  the 
world's  happenings  of  yesterday — wonderful,  of  course. 

But  the  greatest  marvel  yet,  is  the  wireless  system  of  hearing 
from  ships  out  on  the  ocean  and  from  the  other  side  of  the  ocean,  as 
well  as  from  different  parts  of  the  earth,  thus  doing  away  with  the 
great  expense  of  putting  up  poles  and  wires.    Can  this  be  so?    The 


248  wall's  history  of  jefferson  cc,  ill. 

answer  is,  it  is  so.  We  confess  that  we  can  not  understand  these 
things  only  on  the  theory  that  "there  is  nothing  new  under  the  sun." 
Evidently  this  is  true  so  far  as  creation  is  concerned ;  for  everything 
we  see,  know  or  hear,  was  created  and  pronounced  good,  long  be- 
fore our  feeble  intellects  were  crystallized  enough  to  attempt  to 
grasp  them.  If  we  understand  even  the  theory  of  wireless  telegraphy, 
it  requires  two  instruments  exactly  attuned  to  each  other  having  the 
capacity  of  both  sending  and  receiving  messages,  and  no  other  in- 
strument in  the  world  except  the  attuned  ones  can  even  receive  or 
know  anything  about  the  messages  sent.  Like  throwing  a  pebble  on 
the  lake,  its  waves  go  out  in  every  direction  and  are  never  broken 
until  they  strike  the  further  shore  or  some  intervening  object.  So 
with  these  wireless  messages.  As  mysterious  as  all  this  seems,  the 
idea,  the  principle,  the  fact,  is  not  new. 

But  even  while  we  write  of  this  we  read  in  the  paper  of  today 
of  a  collision  at  sea  of  two  big  steam  liners  away  out  in  the  ocean 
in  the  fog  and  darkness  in  which  one  or  both  is  badly  crippled  with 
danger  of  going  to  the  bottom.  The  account  says:  It  is  the  first 
time  the  wireless  has  demonstrated  its  reliability  and  usefulness  in 
the  case  of  disasters  at  sea.     Through  the  waste  of  fog  she  called 

for  help — the  "C.  Q.  D."  of  the  wireless  code and  the  little 

sound  waves  went  north  and  east  and  south,  overhauling  the  hurry- 
nig  liners  a  hundred  miles  and  more  away  and  wheeling  them  to  her 
aid.  There  has  been  nothing  like  it  in  marine  history,  this  drama 
of  the  wireless,  the  thrilling  story  that  leaped  through  the  darkness 
and  the  fog  before  the  sun  lit  up  the  sea;  the  tale  that  was  told  in 
dots  and  dashes,  in  short,  curt,  frightening  syllables;  not  a  letter 
waster,  not  a  word  squandered.  In  short,  four  hours,  perhaps,  after 
the  Republic  was  smitten  way  out  in  the  Atlantic  the  world  knew 
that  no  lives  were  lost,  by  means  of  wireless  telegraphy.  And  written 
between  every  such  message  for  the  imagination  to  seize  upon  and 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  249 

make  clear  were  volumes  as  thrilling  as  any  story  of  Russell's  or 
Maryatt's  or  Connelly's.  And  thus  God  is  using  the  brain  of  creat- 
ure man  to  bring  out  and  develope  the  saving  forces  he  created  when 
he  created  man  and  endowed  him  with  intellect,  that  he  might  know 
the  "secret  of  the  Lord  "  both  as  to  material  and  spiritual  life. 

When  the  great  Light  of  the  world,  the  bright  and  morning 
Star,  the  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  great  Redeemer  of  mankind,  over 
nineteen  hundred  years  ago,  personally  reiterated  the  words  of  life 
(which  had  been  prophesied  centuries  before),  and  sent  them  forth 
on  the  waves  of  time,  across  oceans,  seas  and  contments,  addressed 
to  every  living  soul,  promising  that  they  should  not  return  unto  Him 
void,  this  air  wave  system  was  then  inaugurated  and  the  wonder  is 
that  the  slow  brain  of  man  has  not  long  since  appropriated  it  to  his 
own  use.  These  wonderful  words  of  life  are  constantly  flowmg  to 
all  people  in  all  lands  and  on  all  waters  like  the  waves  caused  by 
casting  the  pebble  into  the  ocean,  but  to  be  received  effectively  and 
be  productive  of  good  fruits,  the  hearts  of  men  must  be  attuned  to 
their  melody,  their  song  of  Salvation — just  like  the  sending  and  re- 
ceiving of  messages  by  wireless  telegraphy.  Otherwise  it  would 
be  better  for  the  individual  had  the  words  never  been  spoken. 
For  he  that  heareth  the  words  of  truth  and  salvation  and  be- 
lieveth  not  is  condemned  already.  So  after  all.  these  mar- 
velous things,  inventions  so  called,  are  simply  the  working  out  of  the 
great  Creator's  plans  for  the  enlightenment  and  betterment  of  the  con- 
dition of  mankind,  and  bring  them  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth  as  it 
is  in  the  great  Redeemer  of  the  human  race.  God  is  the  creator,  man 
is  the  instrument  and  agent  to  bring  these  things  to  pass  and  to  weave 
them  into  forms  of  usefulness;  and  man's  brains  the  models  and  his 
hands  the  workshop,  from  which  the  finished  product  must  be  turned 
out.  His  will  is  the  motive  power,  both  as  to  earthly  success  and 
everlasting  greatness  in  the  world  to  come.  Then,  there  is  the  tele- 
phone ;  that  is  only  a  divine  revelation  reduced  to  practical  use.  The 


250  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co..  ill. 

thought  is  brought  out  in  the  child's  song,  where  it  says,  "Hello 
Central,  Give  Me  Heaven,  for  My  Mamma's  There."  Prayer  is  the 
telephone  by  which  we  talk  to  our  Heavenly  Father  and  our  loved 
ones  there  and  each  soul  has  a  separate  line  of  his  own  with  no  side- 
lines "butting  in,"  and  disturbing  the  sacredness  of  our  conversation. 
The  time  has  come  when  anything  that  interfers  with  travel  or  traf- 
fic is  a  bar  to  progress.  In  the  early  days  of  which  we  have  been 
writing  the  pack-saddler  men  fought  against  the  advent  of  wagons. 
They  said  it  would  ruin  their  pack-saddle  industry ;  then  the  wagon 
men  fought  the  stage  coach,  on  the  theory  that  it  would  faciliate 
traffic  and  throw  the  wagon  out  of  business,  the  stage  coach  then 
battled  against  the  coming  of  the  railroads,  because  steam  cars  would 
out-law  the  stage  coach ;  but  each  in  turn  were  forced  to  give  way. 
The  horse  car  men  fought  the  trolley  car,  claiming  that  they  would 
put  two  million  horses  out  of  commission,  and  horse-breeders  would 
starve.  The  trolley  came  and  yet  more  horses  are  raised,  at  better 
prices  than  before.  The  horse  interests  are  fighting  the  bicycle  and 
automobile  and  will  in  due  season  be  turned  down  and  still  the  new 
methods  are  humming  their  way  to  the  front,  and  not  only  in  the 
matter  of  travel  and  traffic  but  in  the  line  of  communication  and 
general  intelligence.  When  we  want  to  know  anythmg  we  want  to 
know  it  without  delay,  hence  the  general  use  of  the  telephones  and 
telegraph.  Not  satisfied  with  the  world's  news  of  yesterday  spread 
before  us  at  the  breakfast  table,  we  want  to  know  all  the  neighbor- 
hood news  of  today,  hence  we  have  our  telephones  and  our  local 
dailies.  All  this  brings  to  mind  that  ninety  years  ago  Illinois  was 
admitted  into  the  Union  and  at  the  time  had  less  than  five  thousand 
inhabitants,  less  than  half  what  Mount  Vernon  has  today,  that  one 
year  later,  Jefferson  county  was  established  with  only  a  few  hun- 
dred people  within  its  borders,  whereas,  today  it  has  over  thirty-five 
thousand  inhabitants  and  perhaps  the  next  twenty  years  will  add 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  251 

more  to  the  material  prosperity  of  the  county  than  have  the  past 
ninety  years.  We  hand  these  facts  and  predictions  over  to  the  next 
historian,  with  the  expectation  that  he  will  do  his  whole  duty  as  we 
have  tried  to  do  ours,  that  is,  tell  the  truth — let  the  chips  fall  where 
they  may.  He  is  at  liberty  to  make  this  job  easy  by  appropriating 
the  facts  and  figures  he  may  find  herein,  and  which  has  cost  us  much 
weariness  of  mmd  and  body  to  accumulate. 

"We  are  living,  we  are  moving 

In  a  grand  and  awful  time. 
While  the  brains  of  men  are  proving 

That  to  be  living  is  sublime." 

Truly,  what  wonderful  beings  we  are,  and  what  wonderful 
possibilities  we  are  blessed  with,  if  only  we  will  open  our  eyes  and 
minds  and  see  for  ourselves.  These  wonderful  facts  and  the  many 
others  that  present  themselves  to  the  human  mind,  ought  to  bring 
men  and  women  into  the  realm  of  eternal  love,  where 

Life  deems  herself  so  lengthy.  Love  so  brief. 
She  trembleth  at  the  falling  of  the  leaf. 

"Dear  Love,  did  I  but  choose  thee 

To  cherish  and  to  lose  thee? 
Must  the  dread  Reaper  bind  thee  in  his  sheaf?" 
"Fear  not,"  quoth  he,  "for  thus  the  Scripture  saith. 
All-conquering  Love  in  strength  surpasseth  Death. 

Love's  empire  hath  no  bounds,  Love's  sea  no  shore. 
I  am  thyself,  dear  Life,  I  can  not  leave  thee. 
Nor  can  the  King  of  Terrors  e'er  bereave  thee. 
For  Love  and  Life  are  one,  for  evermore." 


252  wall's  history  of  jefferson  cc,  ill. 

It  will  be  seen,  that  in  writing  this  history,  we  have  had  more 
regard  for  the  fact,  the  truth,  than  we  have  had  for  rhetoric  or 
spread-eagle.  Truth  is  the  basis  of  every  other  virtue.  Great  is 
truth  and  stronger  than  all  things.  All  the  earth  trembles  at  it,  and 
with  it  is  no  unrighteous  thing.  In  endureth  forever  and  is  always 
strong.  With  truth  there  is  no  excepting  of  persons  or  reward ;  but 
it  doeth  the  things  that  are  just  and  refraineth  from  the  wicked  and 
unjust  things. 

Truth  is  the  strength,  kingdom,  power  and  majesty  of  all  ages. 

Blessed  forever  be  the  truth. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

JEFFERSON  COUNTY  BANKS  AND  BANKING. 

Safe  Banks  with  Bank  Safes  of  the  Most  Approved  Patterns. 
Stocks  and  Bonds,  Bonds  and  Stocks,  Keep  your  Funds  Under 
Locks.     Ham  National  Bank — Capital  Practically  Unlimited. 

In  1 869,  the  first  bank  was  opened  in  Mount  Vernon  by  Car- 
lin.  Cross  &  Company.  Jefferson  county  had  long  felt  the  need 
of  a  banking  institution  and  there  was  a  feeling  of  rejoicing  when 
Messrs.  Carlin,  Cross  &  Company  opened  the  first  bank  here  in 
1869.  They  did  a  good  business  here,  but  having  large  interests 
elsewhere  they  expressed  a  desire  to  sell  out  their  banking  interests 
here.  So  a  company  of  local  capitalists,  Noah  Johnston,  Jeremiah 
Taylor,  J.  J.  Fitzgerrell,  Thomas  G.  Holland,  and  C.  D.  Ham 
bought  the  interests  of  the  Carlin,  Cross  Company  and  organized 
the  Mount  Vernon  National  Bank,  with  Noah  Johnston  as  presi- 
dent and  C.  D.  Ham  as  cashier.  After  a  few  years,  the  national 
part  of  the  organization  dropped  out  with  the  death  of  part  of  the 
organizers,  and  in  1 880  the  bank  was  known  as  the  Mount  Vernon 
Bank  of  C.  D.  Ham  &  Company,  and  as  siich  was  operated  till 
1897,  when  it  was  again  chartered  as  the  Ham  National  Bank  of 
Mount  Vernon,  and  although  Ham  has  been  dead  several  years  it 
still  is  operated  under  that  name,  and  is  considered  one  of  the  safest 
banks  in  the  state.  All  the  original  incorporators  of  the  bank  have 
closed  their  accounts  and  passed  over  "the  divide,"  the  bank  is  still 
above  par  with  the  business  world,  and  no  need  of  having  bank  quo- 
fornia. 


254  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

tations  as  we  used  to  have  to  know  whether  the  Ham  National  is 
all  right  or  not.  That  goes  without  saying.  At  present  it  is  officered 
as  follows:  Albert  Watson,  president;  S.  B.  Ham,  vice-president; 
Louis  Pavey,  cashier ;  C.  A.  Keller  and  Earl  Hinman,  clerks.  The 
bank  has  been  located  in  the  basement  of  the  Odd  Fellows  hall, 
corner  of  Main  and  Tenth  streets  and  is  an  institution  of  which 
Mount  Vernon  is  justly  proud.  The  private  banks  at  Ina,  Ewing, 
and  Ashley  have  the  same  president  as  the  Ham  National. 

Noah  Johnston,  J.  J.  Fitzgerrell,  and  Thomas  G.  Holland 
were  business  men  and  capitalists  of  the  county.  Jeremiah  Taylor 
came  to  the  county  in  the  early  fifties  as  a  traveling  ambrotype  maker 
and  took  pictures  in  the  old  court-house.  Soon  after  he  married 
the  widow  of  James  Ham,  of  Ham's  Grove,  and  took  charge  of  her 
extensive  farming  and  store  and  with  the  help  of  the  boys,  C.  D. 
and  O.  M.  D.,  who  knew  no  father  but  Uncle  Jerry,  succeeded  in 
making  money.  Father  Taylor  and  C.  D.  Ham  coming  to  town  they 
engaged  in  merchandising  and  also  made  money,  after  which  they 
joined  capital  with  the  men  spoken  of  above  and  purchased  the  Car- 
lin  Cross  institution,  from  which  has  evolved  the  Ham  National 
Bank.     Mrs.  Anna  Ham  and  sons  are  still  stockholders  in  this  bank. 

JEFFERSON  STATE  BANK,  CAPITAL  $50,000.00,  MOUNT  VERNON, 

ILLINOIS. 

The  Jefferson  State  Bank,  of  Mount  Vernon,  Illinois,  was 
organized  November  20,  1905,  with  a  capital  of  fifty  thousand 
dollars;  William  H.  Green,  president;  Dr.  J.  H.  Newton,  vice- 
president;  J.  W.  Gibson,  cashier;  V.  E.  Richardson,  assistant 
cashier. 

Directors — C.  H.  Bumpus,  William  H.  Green,  Earl  Green, 
J.  W.  Gibson,  Andy  Hall,  C.  W.  Harriss,  J.  F.  Mahaffy.  L.  C. 
Morgan,  J.  H.  Newton. 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  255 

This  bank  is  managed  in  a  careful,  conservative  and  business- 
like manner  and  while  it  is  the  youngest  institution  of  its  kind  in  the 
county,  yet  it  is  one  of  the  safest,  and  looks  forward  in  the  near  fu- 
ture when,  by  reason  of  its  many  advantages  and  through  the  court- 
esy of  its  officers  and  directors,  it  will  be  known  as  one  of  the  largest. 

The  state  of  Illinois  has  its  banks  under  close  supervision  and 
requires  the  fullest  compliance  with  the  stringent  laws  enacted  for 
the  protection  of  the  depositors  and  its  departments  are  in  constant 
and  close  touch  at  all  times  with  the  business  of  the  state  bank.  Under 
such  careful  supervision  the  rights  of  the  depositors  are  fully  pro- 
tected. 

With  such  officers  and  directors  and  with  the  many  advantages 
offered  by  a  state  bank,  we  predict  a  prosperous  future  for  the  Jef- 
ferson State  Bank. 

THIRD  NATIONAL  BANK. 

A  company  of  prominent  citizens,  John  R.  Allen,  A.  C.  John- 
son, D.  H.  Warren,  R.  J.  Bond,  W.  C.  Arthurs,  I.  G.  Gee  Morris 
Emmerson,  L.  L.  Emmerson  and  F.  E.  Patton,  who  became  the  di- 
rectors with  others,  purchased  the  Evans  &  Gee  Banking  Company 
and  organized  the  Third  National  Bank,  an  institution  of  which 
Mount  Vernon  is  justly  proud.  John  R.  Allen  was  chosen  presi- 
dent; A.  C.  Johnson,  vice-president;  L.  L.  Emmerson,  cashier;  F. 
E.  Patton,  assistant  cashier,  and  Charles  H.  Patton,  attorney.  It 
was  organized  with  a  capital  stock  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  and  be- 
gan business  February  4,  1902. 

In  1903,  this  Banking  Company  purchased  the  Harvey  T. 
Pace  corner,  removed  the  "old  land  marks"  and  erected  the  present 
magnificent  three-story  building,  in  the  first  floor  of  which  the  Third 
National  Bank  makes  its  home,  with  all  the  modern  improvements 
of  banking.     The  building  is  an  ornament  to  the  city,  the  bank  oc- 


256  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

cupying  the  entire  first  floor,  except  an  office  in  the  west  end  occu- 
pied by  the  Electric,  Light,  Gas,  Heat  &  Water  Company.  The 
second  and  third  stories  contain  twenty  handsome  offices,  the  whole 
outfit  being  lighted,  heated  and  watered  from  the  city  light,  heat 
and  water  plants.  It  is  by  far  the  most  prominent  and  commodious 
business  house  in  the  city,  and  is  continuously  and  fully  occupied 
by  many  of  our  best  business  men.  Other  business  houses  have 
followed  in  the  wake  of  the  Third  National  and  have  taken  on  the 
light,  heat  and  water  utilities. 

In  1905,  the  Mount  Vernon  State  and  Savings  Bank  was 
consolidated  with  the  Third  National  Bank,  and  its  capital  stock 
increased  to  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  and  its  business  greatly 
extended,  until  now  no  banking  institution  in  the  state  stands  higher 
in  the  business  world  than  the  Third  National  Bank  of  Mount  Ver- 
non— its  present  capital  stock  being  $100,000  with  a  surplus  of 
$65,000;  National  Bank  notes,  $100,000;  deposits,  $603,618.79. 
Its  present  board  of  directors  are:  J.  R.  Allen,  W.  C.  Arthurs, 
R.  J.  Bond,  Sam  Casey,  L.  L.  Emmerson,  G.  Gale  Gilbert,  I.  G. 
Gee.  Rufus  Grant,  A.  C.  Johnson,  C.  E.  McAtee,  Jerome  Man- 
nen,  B.  A.  Marshall,  F.  E.  Patton,  J.  H.  Rackaway,  Kirby  Smith. 
Its  officers  are:  A.  C.  Johnson,  president;  I.  G.  Gee,  vice-president; 
C.  E.  McAtee,  vice-president;  L.  L.  Emmerson,  cashier;  F.  E. 
Patton,  assistant  cashier;  Rufus  Grant,  assistant  cashier. 

The  Waltonville,  Woodlawn  and  Kell  private  banks  have 
gentlemen  connected  with  the  Third  as  promoters.  The  Third  Na- 
tional is  a  government  depository. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


BRIGHTER  DAYS  TO  COME. 


The  Sacred  Holidays  at  Hand.     Love — A  social  Converse. 

Pity  the  sorrows  of  a  poor  old  man, 

Whose  trembling  limbs  have  borne  him  to  your  door. 
Whose  days  are  dwindled  to  the  shortest  span; 

O  give  relief,  and  Heaven  will  bless  your  store. 

This  is  the  feeling  that  has  filled  our  heart  as  we  have  visited 
our  people  and  importuned  them  for  something  to  put  into  this 
book  that  may  be  useful  and  interesting  to  the  readers  of  county 
history.  But  after  all,  it  has  been  to  us  the  "labor  of  love,"  for  it 
is  an  actual  pleasure  to  trace  the  history  of  a  people  like  the  pio- 
neers of  Jefferson  county  and  their  successors,  and  we 

May  do  the  work  which  the  Master  gives. 

What  kindly  acts  we  may. 
For  only  once  in  the  journey  of  life 

Will  our  footsteps  pass  this  way. 

We  may  not  turn  back  or  retrace  our  steps. 

To  perform  some  task  undone. 
For  only  one  time  we  do  tread  life's  path. 

Only  one  time — just  one. 

And  just  as  of  old  the  days  will  come  and  go. 

The  spring  with  its  flow'rs  and  the  winter  v\ath  its  snow ; 

17 


258  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

The  hours  pass  away,  the  seasons  warm  and  cold. 
And  time  rolls  along  today,  just  as  of  old. 

And  our  closing  prayer  is: 

"Our  Father  who  are  in  Heaven, 
Thy  blessing  we  implore. 
That  these,  Thy  loving  children. 
May  enter  through  the  door, 

"Which  is  Jesus  our  great  Saviour, 
To  the  realms  of  bliss  and  love, 
,  And  ever  live  to  praise  Thee 
In  the  mansions  above. 

"May  Thy  loving  arms  protect  them. 
And  thine  ever  watchful  eye. 
May  it  always  shine  upon  them. 
And  Thy  presence  e'er  be  nigh. 

"Pour  Thy  spirit  out  upon  them 
And  cause  them  to  understand. 
That  in  everytime  of  trouble, 
TTiou  wilt  lend  a  helping  hand. 

"Be  to  them  a  shield,  a  cover, 
A  protection  from  all  sin. 
In  the  name  of  Christ,  our  Saviour, 
Therefore  gently  lead  them  in. 

"May  Thy  loving  arm  protect  them. 
This  we  ask  Thee  once  again. 
In  the  name  of  Christ,  our  Saviour, 
And  for  Jesus'  sake.  Amen." 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  259 

Jefferson  county  shares  in  the  oil  excitement  which  has  been 
prevalent  for  a  few  years  throughout  Southern  Illinois. 

The  citizens  of  Mount  Vernon  again  have  the  oil  fever,  and 
many  believe  that  the  soil  of  Jefferson  county  contains  oil  though 
the  attempts  heretofore  made  to  locate  it  have  not  proved  very 
satisfactory,  nor  resulted  in  much  good  in  a  financial  way.  Boring 
has  been  done  in  various  sections  of  the  county  but  during  the  past 
few  months  little  was  done  in  that  line,  but  it  seems  oil  prospecting 
has  taken  a  new  impetus,  and  will  probably  be  pushed  with  much 
vigor  soon.  Leases  are  again  being  procured,  and  the  Daily  Reg- 
ister recently  contained  the  following: 

The  oil  fever  which  died  down  after  a  number  of  unsuccessful 
reports  on  prospect  holes,  has  been  renewed  with  an  activity  that 
betokens  something. 

W.  E.  Gulp,  Jr.,  of  Casey,  Illinois,  filed  ninety-seven  leases 
recently,  covering  a  block  of  two  thousand  acres  in  Field 
and  Rome  townships.  The  conditions  of  the  lease  compel  drilling 
to  be  done  inside  of  two  years  from  the  date  of  lease,  and  cover 
the  right  on  oil  and  gas.  One-eighth  of  the  oil  and  twenty-five  dol- 
lars for  each  oil  or  gas  producing  well  is  what  the  owner  of  the  land 
gets,  the  money  to  be  paid  three  months  in  advance  on  each  well 
producing. 

There  is  no  question  as  to  great  beds  of  coal  beneath  our  feet, 
which  will  be  developed  in  due  season.  And  if  we  can  add  to  that 
a  producing  oil  field,  there  is  no  telling  what  else  may  happen  to 
Jefferson  county  and  which  may  be  told  by  the  next  historian. 

HOLIDAYS. 

Then  pealed  the  bells,  more  loud  and  deep, 
"God  is  not  dead;  nor  doth  He  sleep! 


260  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

The  wrong  shall  fail,  the  right  prevail. 

With  peace  on  earth,  good-will  to  men." 

The  gladsome  holidays  always  bring  hope  and  good  cheer. 
Who  would  blot  them  out?  From  our  earliest  recollection  we  re- 
member the  holiday  season  as  the  very  best  time  of  the  year,  not 
only  on  account  of  the  social  enjoyment  it  brings,  but  because  it 
carries  us  back  to  the  time  when  angels  sang  the  new  song,  and  all 
the  sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy. 

We  are  now  entering  the  joyful  holidays,  perhaps  the  last,  for 
us.  We  confess  to  having  very  little  affinity  for  those  who  think 
that  "all  days  are  alike" — for  those  who  have  no  sympathy  with,  or 
regard  for,  the  landmarks  of  life,  the  anniversary  of  birth  or  mar- 
riage or  departure  even  of  their  loved  ones — who  care  nothing  for 
the  Fourth  of  July,  when  their  country  was  born,  or  the  12th  and 
22d  of  February,  when  its  preservers  were  born,  or  even  the  25th 
of  December,  when  their  Saviour  came  to  earth.  We  have  no  fel- 
lowship with  such  unsympathetic  anti-periodical  people.  We  do 
not  charge  them  with  any  unpardonable  sin,  but  we  feel  that  they 
bar  themselves  from  much  pleasure  and  much  profit  by  their  stoical 
indifferences.  Let  us  open  up  our  hearts  and  take  in  the  blessed 
thoughts  of  the  holiday  season,  for  it  is  a  good  time  to  be  young 
again,  and  to  enjoy  the  passing  moments,  while  at  the  same  time  we 
make  high  resolves  for  the  future.  Let  this  be  our  intellectual  bill 
of  fare: 

1 .  The  value  of  time. 

2.  The  success  of  perseverance. 

3.  The  pleasure  of  working. 

4.  The  dignity  of  simplicity. 

5.  The  worth  of  character. 

6.  The  power  of  kindness. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL,  261 

7.  The  influence  of  example. 

8.  The  obligation  of  duty. 

9.  The  wisdom  of  economy. 
1 0.  The  virtue  of  patience. 

1  1 .      The  improvement  of  talent. 
12.     The  joy  of  originating. 

Let  us  personally  resolve: 

"I  will  not  worry. 
"I  will  not  be  afraid. 
"I  will  not  give  way  to  anger. 
"I  will  not  yield  to  envy,  jealously  or  hatred. 
"I  will  be  kind  to  every  man,  woman  or  child  with  whom  I 
come  in  contact. 

"I  will  be  cheerful  and  hopeful. 

"I  will  trust  in  God  and  bravely  face  the  future. 

As  we  pass  down  town  on  these  blessed  holidays  and  see  the 
Christmas  goods  on  display,  we  are  reminded  that  we  are,  both 
young  and  old,  simply, 

WINDOW-WISHERS. 

Window  wishers,  window  wishers,  everywhere  we  go; 
In  front  of  every  shop  and  store  they're  standing  in  a  row; 
Some  are  old  and  some  are  young;  sober  ones  and  gay. 
Drifting  in  a  wishing  dream  as  every  mortal  may. 

Mothers  with  their  hearts  of  love  are  gazing  at  the  toys. 
Wishing  for  the  gifts  to  glad  their  precious  girls  and  boys. 
Women,  women,  everywhere — sweethearts,  sisters,  wives — 
Wishing  for  the  joys  they  know  would  lift  their  patient  lives. 


262  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

Oh  that  every  empty  hand  might  have  its  fill  of  gold. 
And  every  gift  the  wishers  ask  be  theirs  to  have  and  hold ; 
And  wreathed  with  every  happy  dream  an  answer  should  be 

blent 
Till  all  the  hungry  hearts  might  breathe  the  blessed  word 

"content." 

'Tis  good  the  hapless  ones  of  earth  who  feel  Dame  Fortune's 

frown. 
May  yet  a-window-wishing  go  through  all  the  streets  of  town; 
For  earth  still  holds  its  meed  of  gold,  despite  its  dark  alloy. 
So  long  as  we  dream  of  things  to  fill  the  heart  with  joy. 

And  life's  a-window-wishing  play  since  all  our  fleeting  years 
We're  gazing  at  the  "great  beyond,"  and  wishing  through  our 

tears : 
But  "over  there"  each  thristing  rose  is  kissed  with  blissful  dew. 
And  every  wish  will  be  fulfilled  and  all  our  dreams  come  true. 

"Life  was  lent  for  noble  deeds,  and  learn  to  labor  and  to 
wait"  is  the  basic  idea  of  a  true  life.  Labor  is  mighty  and  beautiful, 
and  the  noblest  man  on  earth  is  he  who  puts  his  hands  cheerfully  and 
promptly  to  any  honest  task  and  goes  forth  in  faith  to  secure  honor  and 
true  worth.  Without  labor  nothing  can  be  accomplished,  but  it  is 
no  man's  mission  to  create,  for  Providence  has  furnished  the  "raw 
material"  to  his  hands,  and  there  is  not  an  atom  of  material  used 
by  man,  either  as  food,  clothing  and  in  any  enterprise  in  life,  but  it 
has  been  placed  in  the  earth  for  man  to  bring  forth  and  mould  into 
the  desired  conditions  of  usefulness.  Man  was  given  brain  and 
brawn  and  the  ability  to  labor,  to  enable  him  to  work  out  his  ma- 
terial salvation,  just  as  he  was  given  will  power  to  work  out  his 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  263 

spiritual  salvation.  And  back  of  all  this  was  implanted  in  the  heart 
the  principles  of  charity,  kindness,  love,  hope  and  faith,  like  "apples 
of  gold  in  pitchers  of  silver,"  in  order  that  the  brotherhood  of  man 
might  be  perfected,  that  the  "one  who  went  about  doing  good" 
might  be  the  great  head  of  us  all.  Then,  indeed,  "faith  will  be  the 
substance  of  things  hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen"  and 
"love  be  the  fulfilling  of  the  law."  "Do  unto  others  as  ye  would 
that  they  should  do  unto  you,"  would  then  be  the  rule,  and  the 
Millenium  would  soon  be  ushered  in,  and  so  mote  it  be. 

MYTHS  EXPLODED — Scholars  tell  us  that  in  most  of  myths 
there  is  an  element  of  truth.  Most  of  the  myths  of  our  childhood 
disappear  as  we  grow  older.  Take  for  instance  the  myth  that  "the 
father  of  our  country  told  the  truth  at  the  risk  of  getting  a  thrash- 
ing." While  the  later  historian  plainly  tells  that  he  told  exactly 
opposite  to  keep  from  being  castigated.  It  came  about  in  this  way ; 
George  and  his  little  cousin,  Ike,  were  out  in  the  garden  cutting 
and  slashing  everything  that  came  in  their  way.  Finally  the  father 
happened  along  and  saw  that  they  had  'hacked'  his  favorite  cherry 
tree,  and  in  his  rage,  menacingly  inquired,  "Who  cut  that  tree? 
George,  forseeing  what  would  happen  next,  hastily  replied,  "Father, 
I  can  not  tell  a  lie,  Ike  (pointing  to  his  cousin),  cut  it  with  my  little 
hatchet."  George  escaped  the  licking,  and  the  dull  reporter  got 
things  mixed  as  usual  and  said  George  admitted  the  cutting. 

They  tell  us  now  that  Columbus  didn't  discover  America. 
That  he  got  sea-sick  and  wanted  to  go  back  home.  That  the  sail- 
ors said:  "Pike's  Peak  or  Bust."  and  that  Christopher  went  into 
his  state-room  and  wouldn't  play  until  some  loud-mouthed  sailor 
yelled  out  "land,  by  golly."  And  Christopher  came  to  the  front 
and  claimed  all  the  credit — just  as  you  hear  fellows  today  claiming 
the  credit  of  putting  down  the  rebellion.  So  with  Paul  Revere's 
ride,  they  say  Paul  was  thrown  from  a  rocky-horse,  when  a  boy  and 


264  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

never  could  be  induced  to  mount  a  horse  as  he  grew  older,  and  so 
about  "Sheridan  twenty-miles  away."  He  was  away  from  his 
command  without  leave  of  absence,  and  he  put  his  spurs  to  old 
Black  in  order  to  get  back  before  his  absence  was  detected. 

But  is  it  not  so  with  Santa  Claus.  For  years  during  the  trans- 
ition period  of  our  lives  he  may  seem  far  away.  But  later,  he  en- 
ters— into  us  and  teaches  the  lesson  that  it  is  "more  blessed  to  give 
than  to  receive."  In  our  more  mature  years  we  catch  the  spirit  of 
Santa  Claus  and  become  his  agents.  We  cherish  the  idea,  not  the 
form;  when  the  sad  are  comforted,  the  children  blessed  and  needy 
supplied  during  Santa  Claus  season  of  good-will,  to  the  doer  of 
these  merciful  deeds  there  comes  the  silent  image  of  the  most  gentle 
face  the  world  has  ever  seen — the  Christ  image,  and  the  myth  be- 
comes a  living  truth.  May  the  time  speedily  come  when  the  reign  of 
this  charitable  season  may  last  the  whole  year  round. 

HAIL  THE   NEW  YEAR. 

As  we  close  this  brief  history,  we  welcome  with  acclaim  the 
new  born  year  of  1 909.  Let  us  face  this  new  year  with  brave  hearts 
and  better  determinations,  placing  before  us  as  we  advance  the 
Cross  of  Christ,  believing  that  in  proportion  as  we  are  loyal  to  this 
symbol  shall  we  have  strength  given  us  to  endure  hardships  as  good 
soldiers  of  the  Master,  patience  to  suffer  without  giving  way  to  de- 
spair, sorrow  and  misfortune,  and  spiritual  courage,  so  that  we  can 
come  through  every  temptation  tirumphant  and  unafraid. 

As  we  tarry  awhile. 

At  the  sign  of  the  smile. 

Let  us  "take  up  the  ark  and  pass  o'er  into  the  realms  of 

"What  is  to  be,"  with  determined  souls. 

St.  James  asks:  "What  is  thy  life?"  and  his  own  answer  to 
the  question  is:     "For  ye  are  a  vapor,  that  appeareth  for  a  little 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO..  ILL.  265 

time,  and  then  vanisheth  away."  The  brevity  of  Hfe  has  been  the 
subject  of  deep  thought  and  of  anxious  soHcitude  in  all  ages  of  the 
world.  The  poet  tells  us :  "Our  birth  is  nothing  but  our  death  be- 
gun." It  is  likened  to  a  dream,  a  shadow,  a  vapor,  a  swift  flying 
cloud,  or  the  autumn  leaf.  Such  is  life !  this  life  we  are  living  away ; 
this  life  that  will  so  soon  be  over ;  this  life  on  whose  transient  breath 
hangs  everlasting  destiny. 

But  we  fail  to  appreciate  life's  meaning  if  we  spend  our  time 
is  sighing  over  its  brevity.  Life  is  not  merely  a  vapor  that  presently 
vanisheth,  it  is  a  journey  to  a  fixed  destination.  We  are  not  only 
going,  but  we  are  going  somewhere ;  not  into  the  depths  of  a  mystic 
solitude  to  be  extinguished  and  forgotten.  Our  destiny  is  not  an- 
nihilation and  nothingness.  To  go  forward  aimlessly  is  the  most  in- 
excusable folly.  To  have  around  him  all  the  evidences  of  God — 
and  never  to  see  them — to  look  upon  a  thousand  church  spires  that 
point  to  an  eternal  life,  and  miss  all  their  meanings,  to  be  in  a  land 
of  Bibles  that  reveal  God's  purposes  for  man's  eternal  destiny  and 
be  ignorant  of  his  own  end  is  indeed  a  negligence  which  it  is  difficult 
to  comprehend.  It  is  not  death  but  life  that  is  before  us,  not  earthly 
life  alone,  but  life  a  thread  running  interminably  through  the  warp  of 
eternity.  Life  is  given  us  to  be  used  with  a  view  to  its  eternal  destiny 
To  use  it  so  as  to  give  the  soul  room  for  its  unfolding  capacities,  to 
use  it  to  promote  the  highest  good,  to  use  it  so  as  to  make  the  most  of 
it,  that  is  to  have  before  us  a  high  and  true  ideal  and  the  greatest 
hope  for  any  event  that  can  possibly  follow.  If  we  but  work  out 
our  destiny  according  to  the  divine  purpose  it  can  not  fail  to  be  eter- 
nal glory. 

1909 — TURNING  OVER  THE  NEW  LEAF — 1909 

With  reverent  heart  we  turn  anew 
An  untouched  page  of  time 


266  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

'Tis  ours  to  fill  with  noble  deeds 

Or  stain  with  sin  and  crime; 
Then  e're  we  mar  its  surface  pure — 

Ere  we  begm  anew, 
'Tis  well  that  our  last  year's  work. 

We  take  a  short  review. 

So  much  there  is  of  pleasantness 

Our  record  has  to  tell 
And  so  much  done  unworthily 

We  might  have  done  so  well ; 
Though  mental  retrospection  shows 

That  shine  exceeds  the  shade; 
Too  late  we  would  erase  the  blots 

Of  past  mistakes  we  made. 

Let's  turn  the  new  leaf,  look  not  back 

To  grieve  o'er  loss  and  pain. 
But  view  the  future's  spotless  page 

Where  we  begin  again; 
And  here  resolve,  by  God's  own  grace, 

That  we  will  do  our  best 
To  keep  life's  record  clean  and  pure 

And  trust  Him  for  the  rest. 

THE  GREAT  MISSION  OF  LOVE. 

Love  is  of  divine  origin — it  is  the  Creator  himself  .  It  has  de- 
creed every  good  thing  enjoyed  by  mankind.  It  sent  not  only  life 
and  every  attendant  blessing  to  the  human  race,  but  it  hath  brought 
salvation  and  eternal  happiness  to  every  soul  that  will  accept  it. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  267 

Love  in  one  form  or  another  is  the  ruhng  element  in  life  and  happy 
are  we  if  that  ruling  element  is  based  on  the  divine  plan.  Love  is 
the  perpetual  melody  of  humanity.  True  love  elevates  the  intellect 
and  enlightens  the  soul.  Love  purifies  the  heart  and  crucifies  selfish- 
ness, and  gives  higher  motives  and  nobler  aims  to  life.  Love  is  the 
actual  need,  the  requirement  of  the  heart.  Love  makes  memory 
bright  and  home  beautiful.  Love  keeps  us  close  to  our  dear  ones  on 
earth  and  continually  draws  us  towards  our  loved  ones  in  heaven. 
Love  overcomes  difficulties  and  says  that  the  right  must  be  done. 
Love  unites  human  hearts  and  continues  to  make  the  world  go  round. 
Without  love  mankind  would  perish  from  the  face  of  the  earth.  It 
elevates  the  aspirations,  expands  the  soul,  and  stimulates  all  the 
powers  and  energies  of  the  human  species — in  short,  it  fulfills  the 
decree  of  the  Almighty.  Love  blends  hearts  in  blissful  unity  and 
without  it  there  would  be  no  organized  homes,  no  softening,  elevat- 
ing influences  of  domestic  life,  the  only  safe-guard  of  this  old  world. 

LOVE  AND  THE  LAW. 

Love  makes  the  mind  clean  and  clear,  so  that  it  stops  liking 
unclean  things  like  bad  food  and  ugly  squeezed  bodies  and  cigars. 
And  love  makes  the  mind  kindly,  so  that  it  does  not  yearn  for  more 
than  its  share  of  other  people's  money.  So  in  the  gaining  or  the 
maintaining  of  health,  too,  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law.  And 
how  about  beauty?  Why,  beauty  is  merely  health — plus  love. 
Therefore,  if  you  have  love  you  have  all  things,  for  all  things  are 
ruled  by  law;  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law. 

"Life  without  love!     Oh  what  it  would  be, 
A  world  without  a  sun — 
Cold  as  the  snow-capped  mountain  dark 


268  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

As  myriad  nights  in  one ; 
A  barren  scene  without  one  spot 

Amidst  the  waste, 
Without  one  blossom 

Of  feeUng  or  taste. 

"They  sin  who  tell  us  love  can  die; 
With  life  all  other  passions  fly, 

All  others  are  but  vanity. 
In  heaven  ambition  can  not  dwell. 
Nor  avarice  in  the  vaults  of  hell. 
Earthly  these  passions  of  the  earth. 
They  perish  where  they  have  their  birth. 
But  love  is  indestructible — 
Love  is  eternal." 

A  TRIBUTE  TO  WOMAN. 

All  through  this  history  we  have  tried  to  do  justice  to  the 
women  of  Jefferson  county.  "History  repeats  itself,"  hence  we  have 
license  to  repeat  what  we  have  already  said  and  add  that  all  import- 
ant matters  in  this  life  has  a  "woman  in  it,"  even  from  the  time  of  our 
introduction  into  the  world,  until  our  taking  off. 

Woman !  without  thee,  we  do  not  care  to  live, 

No  not  a  blessed  minute; 
Nor  yet  hike  to  that  far  away  land  of  love, 

If  there's  no  "woman  in  it." 

And  this  reminds  us  that  Miss  Emma  Johnson,  librarian  of  the 
Mount  Vernon  Carnegie  Library,  was  the  very  first  person  to  sug- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL,  269 

gest  to  the  representative  of  Messrs.  Bowen  &  Company,  the  writer 
as  a  suitable  "old  settler"  to  get  together  proper  matter  for  such  a 
publication ;  and  whatever  gratification  Jeff ersonians  may  get  out  of 
perusing  it,  is  due  in  a  large  measure  to  that  estimable  woman — as 
the  gentleman  to  whom  the  suggestion  was  made  followed  us  up 
to  another  town  and  insisted  on  us  taking  the  job,  which  with  some 
degree  of  reluctance,  we  finally  did,  determined  to  do  the  right  thing 
and  deal  justly  by  all — the  women  included,  and  hence  his  final 
tribute  to  woman.  Miss  Johnson  is  the  popular  manager  of  the  li- 
brary, one  of  our  highly  prized  institutions.  She  is  a  native  of  Jef- 
ferson county,  daughter  of  the  late  G.  Wesley  Johnson,  and  grand- 
daughter of  Rev.  John  Johnson — "Uncle  Jacky,"  as  we  used  to 
call  him,  and  whose  life  record  is  given  elsewhere  in  this  book. 

Many  noble  women  have  filled  their  niche  and  gone  to  the 
glory  land.  Many  others  are  "happy  on  the  way,"  not  only  in 
Mount  Vernon,  but  in  Dix,  Woodlawn,  Waltonville,  Bonnie,  Ina, 
Opdyke,  Belle  Rive,  Bluford  and  other  towns  in  Jefferson  county, 
and  we  even  know  one  just  across  the  line  in  another  county.  Such 
is  life — a  life  that  is  devoted  to  good  and  loving  deeds. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

HISTORICAL  ITEMS. 

From  Early  Mount  Vernon  Papers,  With  Connecting  Links 
From  Later  Dates. 

"A  chief  amang  ye,  takin'  notes. 
And  faith,  he's  prent  'em." 

"Here  shall  the  press  of  the  people  rights  maintain 
Unawed  by  influence,  unbribed  by  gain." 

Much  has  been  lost  to  this  history  by  our  not  being  able  to 
secure  files  of  the  early  newspapers  published  in  Mount  Vernon. 
It  is  only  a  stray  copy  now  and  then  that  we  can  find  of  the  fifties 
and  sixties.  Dr.  J.  H.  Newton,  M.  J.  Seed,  Miss  Laura  Satterfield 
and  others  have  favored  us  with  a  few  copies  from  which  we  select 
such  items  as  go  to  make  up  history,  but  there  are  many  more.  It 
seems  that  no  families  have  kept  regular  files  of  the  county  papers, 
and  even  the  printing  offices  have  changed  owners  so  often  that  none 
of  the  annual  files  are  complete,  except  in  case  of  the  Register,  since 
Mr.  Seed  took  charge  of  it,  he  has  bound  in  book  forms  each  year, 
but  his  files  do  not  record  back  to  the  time  of  which  we  speak.  We 
would  suggest  that  families  keep  files  of  their  local  papers,  so  as  to 
be  posted  on  local  happenings  in  Jefferson  county  and  then  the  his- 
torian will  not  have  the  trouble  we  have  had  in  hunting  for  "con- 
necting links."     Most  of  the  items  below  date  back  to  the  cyclone. 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  271 

but  not  all  the  dates  we  hoped  to  get.  But  such  as  we  have,  give 
we  unto  you: 

We  have  before  us  a  copy  of  the  Mount  Vernon  Sentinel  dated 
January  16,  1857,  fifty-one  years  ago,  published  by  Wall  and 
Baugh.  The  motto  reads:  "We  claim  the  right  of  thought,  and 
what  we  think  assert,"  and  that  perhaps  has  always  rendered  both 
Wall  and  Baugh,  unpopular,  because  they  assert  what  they  think, 
no  matter  if  they  do  not  always  think  just  alike.  The  Sentinel  com- 
plains of  the  slowness  of  the  mails — saying  that  it  had  just  received 
the  Chicago  Tribune  of  December  26th,  twenty-seven  days  from 
Chicago.  It  also  contains  the  official  vote  for  President  cast  the 
first  week  in  November,  to-wit:  Buchanan,  1,837,914;  Fremont, 
1,357,410;  Fillmore,  878,200.  It  also  complains  of  very  cold 
weather  and  says  the  thermometer  stands  below  "cairo."  James  West- 
cott  was  Sheriff,  John  S.  Bogan,  Circuit  Clerk.  It  copied  from  the 
St.  Louis  papers  the  fact  that  the  city  had  125,000  and  Chicago 
had  1 1  0,000  inhabitants ;  now  St.  Louis  has  800,000  and  Chicago 
has  2,000,000.  The  Sentinel  had  a  big  lot  of  legal  ads  and  law- 
yers' cards  from  all  around.  Wall  and  Baugh  were  both  young 
and  frivolous  then,  see  them  now. 

Another  copy  of  an  old  paper,  the  Unionist,  dated  1 866,  gives 
a  list  of  names  forming  the  organization  of  the  Union  or  Republican 
party  in  Jefferson  county  by  townships  as  follows: 

Mount  Vernon — Jasper  Partridge,  J.  J.  Maxey,  R.  W.  Lyon, 
C.  M.  Lyon. 

Jackson  (Dodds) — Sam  Gibson,  John  Frizelle,  Sam  God- 
dard. 

Long  Prairie— Dr.  W.  Nichols,  J.  B.  Gaston,  V.  J.  Maxey. 

Farrington — T.  H.  McBride,  Dr.  Gregory,  B.  T.  Wood. 

Lynchburg — Russell  Brown,  Abraham  Marlow,  Jared  Foster. 

Moore's  Prairie — D.  Rotrannel,  Charles  Judd,  Vest  Mc- 
Clure. 


272  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

Spring  Garden — Gabriel  Peavler,  Wiley  Prigmore,  Sam 
Hawkins. 

Elk  Prairie— Col.  G.  W.  Evans.  H.  R.  Dare,  Ike  Boswell. 

Horse  Prairie — Josiah  Willis,  James  Junkins,  Starks. 

Knob  Prairie — John  Dodds,  Capt.  Joe  Laur,  J.  R.  Watkins. 

Blissville — John  Fairchild,  Andrew  Welch,  Joe  Tuttle. 

Grand  Prairie — Lemon  Pouts,  Jacob  Breeze,  J.  P.  Renfro. 

These  were  the  men  around  which  the  Union  sentiment  clustered 
and  from  this  effort,  the  three  thousand  two  hundred  Republican 
votes  cast  at  last  year's  election  sprung. 

We  had  just  moved  the  Unionist  office  to  Main  street,  about 
where  Hobb's  express  office  is  now.  The  Eighteenth  Regiment  of 
Volunteers  passed  through  Mount  Vernon,  getting  home  from  the 
war.  The  Unionist  had  a  New  Year's  address  in  which  it  said:  "For 
the  first  time  since  the  organization  of  the  government  we  enter  upon 
a  new  year  and  as  a  free  nation,  not  only  in  name  but  in  law  and  in 
fact."  It  is  still  our  contention  that  the  "boys  in  blue"  put  in  the 
enacting  clause  in  the  Declaration  of  Independence — that  "all  men 
are  created  free  and  equal,  and  are  endowed  by  their  Creator  with 
life,  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness."  Don't  forget  that  the 
Union  soldiers  of  1861-65  made  these  words  true  for  the  first  time 
in  the  history  of  America. 

An  I.  O.  O.  F.  committee  composed  of  E.  E.  Welbom,  James 
Tolle,  C.  W.  Pavey  and  John  A.  Wall  published  in  this  issue  a 
tribute  of  respect  to  Henry  B.  Maxey,  deceased.  Mark  Hails  had 
just  became  landlord  of  the  Johnson  House.  The  paper  said  it  was 
reported  that  eight  or  ten  wells  would  be  sunk  for  oil  in  Clark  county 
in  the  spring,  but  it  was  nearly  forty  springs  before  these  wells  were 
actually  sunk  and  Clark  county  became  the  oil  center. 

Johnson,  Ham  and  Tolle,  S.  T.  Stratton  &  Sons,  J.  Pace  & 
Son,  Taylor  &  Watson,  Tamer  &  Baltzell,  Pavey  &  Allen,  Hobbs 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  273 

&  Welborn,  H.  W.  Seimer,  J.  S.  Klinker  were  doing  the  business 
of  Mount  Vernon  then.  Barg  Casey  and  J.  W.  Johnson  were  just 
back  from  the  petroleum  field  of  West  Virginia  and  were  ready  to 
sell  oil  stock.  J.  F.  Johnson  and  A.  M.  Grant  were  still  buying  tax 
lands  and  James  P.  Haynes  was  landlord  at  the  Allen  House.  J. 
E.  Fergerson  had  withdrawn  from  the  firm  of  Stratton  &  Fergerson, 
and  Stratton  &  Sons  continued  the  business.  Johnson  &  Tolle  in 
their  efforts  to  please  advertised  buckwheat-cake  material  and  ready- 
made  walnut  coffins  for  sale,  all  this  within  the  last  forty-three  years. 
Since  then,  Johnson,  Ham  and  Tolle,  and  the  Strattons  are  all 
gone,  except  Rynd  L.,  who  sells  stoves,  hardware,  etc. 

We  have  before  us  two  papers  which  would  be  greatly  inter- 
esting to  future  readers  had  we  space  and  time  to  condense  the  mat- 
ter contained  in  them.  One  refers  to  the  destruction  and  recupera- 
tion of  Mount  Vernon  after  being  destroyed  by  the  cyclone,  the 
other  refers  to  the  great  fire  that  ruined  Chicago  and  to  the  recon- 
struction which  has  made  it  almost  the  greatest  city  in  the  world. 
Without  its  cyclone.  Mount  Vernon  could  not  have  progressed  to 
the  point  of  excellence  which  it  has  reached,  and  without  its  great 
fire  Chicago  would  never  have  achieved  the  prosperity  it  has  had 
since  that  fatal  night  in  October,  1871.  In  1881  the  town  election 
showed  sixty-three  votes  for  license  and  five  hundred  and  sixty-six 
against  license.  Varnell  was  elected  Mayor.  The  accommodation 
train  daily  to  St.  Louis  was  put  on.  The  construction  of  the  Air 
Line  Railroad  was  engrossing  the  minds  of  the  people  from  Mount 
Vernon  to  Mount  Carmel.  A  jail  delivery  took  place.  Speaking 
of  railroads,  the  News  refers  to  the  Louisville  &  Nashville,  the 
Louisville,  Eastern  &  St.  Louis,  the  Mount  Vernon  and  Tamaroa, 
the  St.  Louis  &  Eastern.  This  doesn't  sound  bad  for  Mount  Vernon, 
and  they  all  came  in  due  time.  Dick  Cadle,  who  was  then  running 
the  Continental  Hotel,  put  his  warning  in  the  News,  "Having  gained 

18 


274  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

the  confidence  of  the  grocers  and  butchers  of  Mount  Vernon  I  am 
now  getting  my  supplies  on  credit  and  do  not  expect  to  pay  for  them 
which  enables  me  to  furnish  the  best  day  board  at  three  dollars  and 
fifty  cents  per  week,  four  dollars  with  furnished  rooms." 

We  have  before  us  several  copies  of  the  Mount  Vernon  Star, 
published   1862-3-4,  in  the  interests  of  slavery  and  the  southern 
confederacy.     At  the  head  they  say,  "our  candidate  for  President, 
C.  L.  Vallindigham,"  whom  it  will  be  remembered  was  banished 
from  the  United  States  for  his  disloyalty.      The  whole  tenor  of 
these  papers  are  of  the  treasonable  order,  such  as  might  have  in- 
duced Vallindigham  to  make  the  writer  a  member  of  his  cabinet  had 
he  been  made  President.  In  one  of  the  editorials  it  says:  "Democrats 
arouse  and  protect  yourselves;  prepare  not  with  the  ballot  box,  but 
with  the  cartridge  box."     In  another  place  it  says,  "The  Abolition- 
ists seem  to  be  indignant  because  the  copper  heads  did  not  join  in 
their  jubilee  over  the  down  fall  of  Vicksburg."     Speaking  of  the  fall 
of  Vicksburg  he  says,  "Have  mercy  on  us — the  glory,  peace  and 
happiness  and  liberty  are  no  more.    Such  is  its  picture  of  the  Fourth 
of  July,  1863."     In  large  letters  at  the  head  of  the  paper  it  says, 
"The  Star,  devoted  to  the  abolition  of  the  Abolition  party."     And 
yet  while  the  Star  and  its  disloyal  vemon  has  long  been  buried  and 
forgotten  the  party  referred  to  is  still  in  full  control  of  the  best 
government  on  earth.    The  paper  claimed  to  be  the  mouth  piece  of 
the  Democratic  administration  of  Jefferson  county  and  the  fact  that 
the  sheet  was  issued  in  one  of  the  rooms  of  the  court-house  free  of 
rent  seemed  to  prove  the  assertion.     About  the  only  item  untouched 
by  class  hatred  we  find  in  these  papers  was  the  announcement  that 
Rev.  J.  A.  Robinson  would  preach  the  funeral  of  Gov.  Zadok 
Casey  at  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  the  second  Sunday  in 
August,  1863. 

A  copy  of  the  News,  H.  H.  Simmons,  editor,  is  before  us. 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  275 

dated  1878.  He  alludes  to  the  business  of  Mount  Vernon  as  be- 
ing conducted  by  Barger  Brothers,  Stratton,  Pace  &  Westbrook, 
D.  B.  Goodrich,  M.  M.  Goodale.  S.  S.  Porter,  E.  M.  Sheppard. 
L.  H.  Thompson,  Charles  Zierjacks,  Amsbury  Company,  Hobbs, 
Tabb  &  Haynes,  Varnell  &  Company,  Bittroff  &  Ryan,  J.  W. 
Baugh,  police  magistrate.  W.  E.  Jackson,  J.  E.  Fergerson  & 
Company,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Hitchcock,  W.  S.  Hollowell, 
Pavey  &  Allen,  Preston  &  Libby,  Doctor  Blum  and  others.  In  1876 
we  find  the  News  under  C.  L.  Hayes,  fighting  Gen.  W.  B.  Ander- 
son, as  not  being  a  Democrat,  although  he  was  a  staunch  Democrat 
half  a  century  before  the  News  saw  the  light.  The  copy  before  us, 
August  16th,  contains  a  notice  of  the  death  of  Harvey  T.  Pace, 
whose  history  already  has  been  given  and  whose  remains  together 
with  that  of  his  wife  lies  under  monuments  in  Old  Union  cemetery. 
Two  copies  of  the  Mount  Vernon  Exponent  contains  the  in- 
formation that  the  Air  Line  (now  Southern)  was  to  be  finished 
next  year.  A  coal  company  was  organized  and  subscriptions 
amounting  to  ten  thousand  dollars  were  taken  up  and  although  this 
was  in  1881 ,  in  looking  over  the  list  we  find  that  more  than  half  of 
the  subscribers  are  dead  and  gone.  Jefferson  county's  census  for 
1 880  was  announced  at  twenty  thousand  six  hundred  and  eighty-six. 
Nugent  &  Brother  had  laid  a  basis  of  success  in  Mount  Vernon 
and  moved  to  St.  Louis,  where  they  now  rank  among  the  first  busi- 
ness men  of  that  city.  Business  had  been  shifting  again;  R.  E. 
Ryan,  R.  F.  Pace,  Hicks  &  Company,  B.  F.  Harmon,  Wise  & 
Brother,  Hudspeth  &  Poole,  G.  F.  M.  Ward,  Howard  Brothers, 
Rentchler  &  Waters,  Simmons  &  Hinman,  G.  W.  Yost  &  Com- 
pany were  at  it.  The  Webb  Brothers,  A.  D.  and  A.  C,  severed 
their  connection  with  the  Progressive  Farmer  and  opened  a  law 
office.  A.  C.  died  and  A.  D.  is  now  County  Judge.  A.  B.  Bar- 
rett came  down  from  Chicago,  supposedly  to  relieve  Jefferson  coun- 


276  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

ty  of  her  railroad  indebtedness.  The  News  gives  the  1888  vote  to 
Cleveland.  2,378,  Harrison,  1 ,981 .  W.  A.  Davis  was  elected  Cir- 
cuit Clerk,  W.  H.  Green  State  Attorney  and  Kirby  Smith  Surveyor. 

FOR  LATER  DATES. 

We  have  before  us  the  first  number  of  the  Mount  Vernon 
Register,  issued  by  Morris  Emmerson,  dated  May  26,  1 884.  Mr. 
Henry  Hitchcock  sold  the  Exponent  office  to  Mr.  Emmerson,  and 
went  to  farming  north  of  town,  and  afterward  built  the  house  now 
occupied  by  Mr.  Hoyt.  The  Register  had  but  few  ads,  among 
them,  Howard  Brothers,  who  had  just  established  a  grocery  store 
where  the  post-office  now  is.  A  Mount  Vernon  lady  devoted  to  the 
Lord's  cause  all  the  eggs  laid  by  her  hens  on  Sunday.  John  Varnell 
was  given  a  place  in  the  government  printing  office  at  Washington. 
In  its  issue  of  June  4th,  an  exciting  runaway  of  horse  and  buggy 
containing  Paul  Curnick  and  Miss  Grace  Plumber  is  recorded. 
General  Anderson,  Rev.  Locke  and  Shelby  Brown  addressed  the 
soldiers  on  Decoration  day.  The  people  decided  to  have  a  big 
Fourth  of  July.  Even  in  the  year  1 884,  Theodore  Roosevelt  was 
heard  from.  He  says,  "I  am  called  a  reformer,  I  am  also  a  Re- 
publican." The  most  of  this  issue  was  taken  up  with  the  new  ordi- 
nances of  Mount  Vernon,  over  eight  columns. 

July  2d,  the  Register  office  is  removed  to  a  room  west  of 
Bond's  drug  store.  Doctor  Hubbell,  oculist,  and  Doctor  Hurtt, 
dentist,  and  E.  E.  Crebbs  are  wanting  patronage.  Joshua  Cannon 
Maxey,  Rev.  Lewis  Johnson  and  a  few  other  "relics"  made  talks 
on  the  Fourth  of  July. 

The  issue  of  July  23d  contained  the  death  of  Aunt  Susan 
Johnson,  consort  of  Rev.  Jacky  Johnson.  Mat  Bolin  reported  that 
the  coal  mine  bore  was  down  one  hundred  and  seventy  feet  and  still 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  277 

going.     To  Mr.  Bodin  more  than  any  other  man  is  due  the  fact 
that  we  have  a  coal  mine. 

S.  H.  Watson  sold  his  grocery  store  to  Charles  Pace  and 
Stinson.  Anderson,  Hudspeth,  Taylor  &  Company  opened  their 
new  store.  Clark  Johnson  was  still  holding  Sunday  school  con- 
ventions. 

The  history  of  the  baseball  movement  in  Mount  Vernon  dates 
away  back  into  the  seventies,  but  as  it  is  going  and  growing  we  will 
leave  its  record  to  the  next  historian,  we  don't  play. 

A.  M.  Stratton  defeated  George  H.  Varnell  for  Senator.  The 
"Old  Folks"  meeting  was  presided  over  by  "Uncle  Jick"  Maxey, 
J.  M.  Pace,  secretary.  Mount  Vernon  Lodge,  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows,  celebrated  its  fiftieth  anniversary.  The  Register 
of  June  7th  has  a  whole  column  of  local  accidents,  murders,  suicides 
and  fracuses.  It  seemed  to  be  the  devil's  week.  Sam  Casey  was 
married  to  a  Kentucky  belle.  John  A.  Wall,  a  newspaper  man  of 
varied  experiences  is  now  peacefully  following  agricultural  pur- 
suits. Rev.  R.  B.  Hoyt,  Episcopal  minister,  was  buried  at  Oak- 
wood.  One  hundred  loads  of  Jefferson  county  coal  were  hauled 
to  town  last  week.  S.  P.  McCrea  was  chosen  superintendent  of 
the  Mount  Vernon  schools  in  place  of  Professor  Barnhart.  The 
Louisville  &  Nashville  gave  a  free  excursion  to  St.  Louis  for  all  its 
employes  and  their  families.  Four  car  loads  of  Indian  prisoners 
enroute  to  Florida  stopped  here  for  an  hour. 

October  8th  W.  F.  Davis  appointed  to  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  Death  of  Mrs.  Nathaniel  Parker.  Terms  were  made  with 
a  drill  company  to  keep  drilling  until  a  workable  vein  of  coal  is 
reachd  at  the  place  where  the  mine  now  is.     Bossed  by  Mat  Bolin. 

October  1 3th,  1 4th,  1  5th.  The  largest  soldier's  reunion  ever 
held  in  the  county  except  the  one  held  in  Casey's  pasture  in  1 868. 
at  which  Generals  Logan,  Sherman  and  Shields  were  present. 


278  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.  ill.. 

R.  L.  Stratton  &  Company  were  awarded  the  contract  for 
putting  the  iron  fence  around  the  court-house.  The  fence  was  later 
bought  by  Doctor  Green  and  still  encloses  the  Green  property,  ex- 
cept what  the  county  placed  around  the  jail.  October  21st,  Gen.  C. 
W.  Pavey's  mother,  aged  eighty-five,  was  buried. 

March  27,  1886,  J.  F.  Carroll,  County  Treasurer,  died. 

April  1  7th,  Mrs.  D.  C.  Warren  died.  Francis  G.  Blair, 
the  present  state  superintendent  of  schools  taught  school  at  Mount 
Vernon. 

April  I  1,  1886,  George  M.  H  ay  nes' father  died.  Also  Thomas 
Hansacker,  aged  seventy.     Issue  of  May  1 9th  contains  a  list  of  the 

Jefferson  county  wanderers two  pages,  or  twelve  columns,  we 

would  like  to  give  it  here  but  its  length  forbids.  Still  the  list  shows 
how  people  scatter  over  the  world  when  they  leave  their  childhood 
homes.  In  1 886  Mount  Vernon  had  given  Chicago  a  city  superin- 
tendent of  mails  and  a  grain  inspector;  Springfield  an  editor  of  the 
state  Journal,  Cairo  a  revenue  collector,  a  chief  clerk  and  a  mail 
messenger  in  Washington  City,  an  able  bodied  guard  for  the  national 
treasury.  Joe  Goodrich  withdraws  from  the  race  for  Sheriff,  thor- 
oughly disgusted  with  the  rottenness  of  politics  and  the  race  nar- 
rowed down  to  two  ex-Confederate  soldiers.  Coleman  post  had  one 
hundred  seventy-five  members  in  1 886,  those  who  were  members  at 
that  time  are  now  all  dead,  except  forty-two,  which  fact  shows  that 
the  "boys  in  blue"  will  soon  all  be  gone. 

The  county  election  resulted  in  Democratic  success  by  greatly 
reduced  majorities.  Death  of  Judge  Walter  B.  Scales,  of  Evans- 
ton.  Another  one  of  the  Nugent  brothers  at  St.  Louis  married 
a  Mount  Vernon  girl.  Miss  Lillie  Patton.  Rev.  W.  P.  Thogmor- 
ton  and  his  Baptist  banner  located  in  Mount  Vernon. 

November  24th,  coal  found  at  the  depth  of  eight  hundred  and 
forty-six  feet  and  great  rejoicing.     Who  shall  operate  it?     Colonel 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  279 

Evans,  Captain  Watson,  J.  E.  Fergerson,  S.  T.  Stratton  and  Capt. 
John  Gibson  immediately  got  together  and  decided  to  dig.  Phil 
E.  Whiting  came  in  as  a  lawyer  and  bandleader. 

December  26th  Gen.  John  A.  Logan  died.  L.  L.  Emmer- 
son  and  Jarvis  Crackel  came  to  Mount  Vernon  to  locate.  R.  F. 
Pace  appointed  postmaster  of  Mount  Vernon.  J.  W.  Grear  bought 
the  Mount  Vernon  News  of  Simmons.  Doctor  Gregory  died  out  at 
Farrington.  He  was  postmaster  and  used  to  empty  the  mail  out  on 
the  table  and  say,  "Boys  come  and  pick  out  your  letters."  Jesse 
Laird,  another  of  Moore's  Prairie  pioneers,  dies.  Also  Edward 
Birdhead,  also  Major  A.  D.  Estes,  aged  seventy-three.  Older 
inhabitants  remember  A.  D.  Estes.  Fred  Watson  purchased  J. 
S.  Green's  implement  store,  which  led  up  the  present  wholesale 
building  of  F.  P.  Watson  and  brother  on  Tenth  street. 

The  Jefferson  county  board  of  supervisors,  with  A.  B.  Barrett 
at  the  front  were  investigating  the  Register  for  what  it  had  said 
about  the  board,  result  "nit." 

April  6th  Judge  H.  S.  Treat,  who  so  long  presided  over  the 
Supreme  Court  here  died.  The  many  friends  of  Thomas  Casey 
gave  him  a  banquet  on  the  eve  of  his  departure.  Green  P.  Garner 
still  trying  to  recover  the  swamp  land  for  the  county,  and  Doctor 
Green  claiming  that  it  belonged  to  the  original  Mount  Vernon  Rail- 
road Company.  Garner  disturbed  the  peace  and  dignity  and  paid 
thirteen  dollars  for  privilege. 

April  20th  Varnell  elected  Mayor  over  J.  M.  Pace  by  two 
hundred  and  eight  majority.  Majority  of  thirty-three  against  li- 
cense, but  by  some  hocus  pocus  licenses  were  issued,  not  rightfully, 
however.  The  Moss  family  held  a  reunion  at  Shiloh  May  16th. 
The  Southern  Illinois  Press  Association  honored  Mount  Vernon 
with  its  annual  meet,  and  a  good  time  was  had,  ending  with  a  ban- 
quet.    J.  A.  Wall  and  wife  took  charge  of  the  Farmers'  Home 


280 


WALL  S  HISTORY  OF  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 


Hotel,  and  farmers  felt  themselves  at  home  when  they  came  to 
town.  Announcement  was  made  that  Barrett's  circus  would  show 
on  the  16th.  Some  of  the  Register's  readers  thought  that  meant 
"Barrett's  Supervisors."  May  20th  Logan  and  Elizina  Sawyer 
were  divorced  by  Judge  Boggs  at  1 1  o'clock  and  they  were  re- 
married at  2  p.  m.  same  day.  Col.  Ike  Clements,  of  the  Soldiers' 
Orphans'  Home  was  the  Decoration  day  orator,  exercises  held  at 
Salem  cemetery. 

A  couple  of  Jefferson  county  youths,  aged  respectively  seventy- 
four  and  seventy,  got  married,  which  shows  that  all  lines  of  business 
is  being  shoved.  Charles  Zierjacks  died.  October  8th  Doctor  Locke 
finished  his  discourses  at  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  was 
succeeded  by  Dr.  O.  H.  Clark.  County  fair  with  Pavey,  Moss, 
Casey  and  Cook  on  hand  with  fine  stock.  November  1 2th  Cleve- 
land elected  President.  Register  removed  to  the  Phoenix  block. 
Mrs.  S.  E.  Watson  announced  the  opening  of  the  Women's  Chis- 
tian  Temperance  Union  reading  rooms. 

Issue  March  11,  1885.  C.  A.  Keller  moved  to  Texas.  Dr. 
J.  W.  Hitchcock  died. 

April  1  st  Adam  Clark  Johnson  resigned  the  control  of  Jef- 
ferson county  Sunday  school  work  to  D.  B.  Goodrich — both  now 
dead.  John  A.  Wall  resigned  his  position  as  foreman  of  the  Reg- 
ister office  and  was  succeeded  by  Henry  L.  Ellis.  The  city  voted 
for  license  by  one  hundred  and  seventy-nine  majority. 

Issue  April  22d  Rev.  E.  P.  Lewis  installed  pastor  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church.  Independent  band  organized,  with  Louis  Karcher, 
Merrit  Chance,  Will  Young,  Ogie  Collins,  Edward  Davis,  Clar- 
ence Lyon,  Will  Rutherford,  China  Galbreath,  Steve  Rogers,  Ar- 
thur Rutherford,  Elmer  Casey.  Albert  Carter,  Will  Price  as 
blowers. 

July   1st,  marriage  of    Daniel    Nugent,    of    St.    Louis,    and 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  281 

Miss  Carrie  Casey,  daughter  of  Col.  T.  S.  Casey.  Greenlawn 
skating  rink  in  full  blast.  Extension  of  Air  Line  Railroad  to  St. 
Louis  decided  upon.  General  Anderson  appointed  revenue  col- 
lector. General  Grant  dead.  June  22d,  Mrs.  Martha  C.  Evans, 
wife  of  Colonel  Evans,  and  daughter  of  Governor  Anderson,  died; 
also  death  of  Mrs.  Dr.  McAnnully,  daughter  of  J.  R.  Moss. 

July  1 5th  Mount  Vernon  on  a  boom,  electric  lights  being  pro- 
vided for.  The  Jeffersonville  &  Southeasern  Railroad  invades  the 
county  and  touches  the  Louisville  &  Nashville  at  Drivers,  secured 
by  the  never  ceasing  efforts  of  Judge  Driver.  Water  works  for 
Mount  Vernon  submitted  to  vote  and  carried.  September  7th  a 
threshing  engine  blows  up  near  Spring  Garden,  Henry  Mitchell  and 
William  Bumpus  killed  and  several  injured. 

September  2 1  st.  The  Southern  Illinois  soldiers'  reunion  is 
being  held  in  Mount  Vernon  this  week.  The  town  is  thoroughly 
decorated  and  filled  to  over  flowing  with  "boys  in  blue,"  and  their 
friends  from  everywhere.  Truly  a  gala  time,  showing  that  Mount 
Vernon  never  does  anything  by  halves.  The  prominent  men  who 
addressed  this  reunion  have  all  passed  to  the  front. 

September  22d,  L.  L.  Emmerson  present  manager  of  the  Re- 
publican party  of  Jefferson  county  and  banker,  and  Miss  Matthews 
were  married. 

October  5th,  Jefferson  county  fair  in  progress.  October  1 6th, 
Judge  J.  R.  Satterfield  died.  Van  Wilbanks  died.  December  4th 
Major  Noah  Johnston  died.  His  life  history  given  elsewhere  in 
these  pages.  Major  Johnson  issued  to  Bob  Ingersoll  license  to 
practice  law.  Sally  Maxey,  wife  of  C.  H.  Maxey,  died,  aged 
sixty-five. 

L.  Bitroff  and  Miss  Jennie  Pace,  daughter  of  J.  M.  Pace, 
were  married.  January  1,  1888,  C.  W.  Pavey  &  Sons'  big  dry- 
goods  store  destroyed  by  fire.  James  A.  White,  whose  sleeping 
room  was  over  the  store,  was  cremated. 


282  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

February  1 9th.  Mount  Vernon  destroyed  by  the  fearful  cy- 
clone, of  which  there  is  a  brief  account  given  in  a  former  chapter. 
Twenty-two  killed  and  over  forty  injured,  besides  a  one  million 
dollar  loss  in  property,  homes  destroyed,  etc.  One  thousand  peo- 
ple rendered  homeless.  March  28th,  everybody  busy  rebuilding 
and  rehousing  the  people  left  destitute  by  the  cyclone.  Seaton  Allen 
committed  suicide.  Judicial  convention  held  in  the  Presbyterian 
church  nominated  S.  C.  Conger  for  Judge  on  the  two  hundred  and 
seventy-sixth  ballot.  May  1st,  O.  M.  Watters  and  Renie  Pace 
wedded.  Decoration  day,  addresses  by  Professor  Villars,  of  Mc- 
Kendree  College.     Comrade  John  A.  Wall  spoke  at  Williamsburg. 

June  4th,  David  J.  Baker  elected  Supreme  Judge  over  Conger. 

July  I,  1888,  population  of  Mount  Vernon  three  thousand 
four  hundred  and  twenty-seven.  Rev.  J.  B.  Thompson  came  to  the 
scattered  congregation  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  as  a  ray 
of  sunshine  and  hope.  Zadok  Pace  died.  Baptist  church  dedi- 
cated. 

November  8th,  Harrison  elected  President,  Fifer  Governor. 
December  23d,  a  historical  date,  when  Bishop  Bowman  dedicated 
the  new  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Doctor  Locke  preached  in  the 
afternoon  and  Doctor  Fry  in  the  evening.  John  .A.  Wall  chosen  com- 
mander Coleman  post.  Miss  Erme  Cross  started  a  kindergarten 
class  at  the  Odd  Fellows  hall,  and  Jake  Chance  had  one  at  his 
home,  both  successful. 

February  18th,  cyclone  memorial  held  at  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church,  for  Register  showing  a  picture  of  Mount  Vernon  as 
rebuilt.  March  24th  Mayor  Varnell  died.  His  was  the  first 
funeral  held  in  the  new  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Cyclone  com- 
mittee makes  its  final  report.  We  would  be  greatly  pleased  to  pur- 
sue this  historical  itemizing  through  the  nineties  but  space  forbids. 
Suffice  it  to  say  that  many  of  the  more  prominent  citizens  even  of 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO..  ILL.  283 

of  the  cyclone  days  passed  to  their  reward  soon  after  the  above 
events,  and  the  death  Hst  elsewhere  tells  the  tale. 

Mount  Vernon  lost  the  Louisville  &  Nashville  shops  soon  after 
this  but  the  Mount  Vernon  Car  Manufacturing  Company  came 
mstead. 

Mount  Vernon  inaugurated  municipal  improvements  referred 
to  elsewhere  and  the  bright  little  city  is  still  reaching  forward  for 
its  legitimate  place  among  the  very  best  cities  of  the  state. 

We  close  this  chapter  with  greeting  of  joy  for  the  living  and 
departed,  trusting  the  living  may  realize  their  highest  hopes  and 
greatest  good,  and  hoping  that  the  departed  may  now  be  occupying 
better  homes  than  earth  can  afford,  where  no  cares,  no  pains,  no 
sorrow  or  cyclones  can  ever  disturb  their  heavenly  repose. 

So  must  it  be — each  hope  and  fear 

That  blights  the  eye  and  clouds  the  brow 

Proclaims  there  is  a  happier  sphere 

Than  this  bleak  world  that  holds  us  now. 

There  is  a  voice  which  sorrow  bears 

When  heaviest  weighs  life's  galling  claims; 
Tis  heaven  that  whispers  "dry  thy  tears — 
The  good  and  pure  shall  meet  again." 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

NUGGETS  PICKED  UP  BY  THE  WAYSIDE. 

Memory  Still  Links  us  to  the  Past.  A  few  Happenings  Away 
Back.    Things  Wise,  and  Otherwise. 

A  little  nonsense,  now  and  then. 
Is  relished  by  the  best  of  men. 

No  man  can  feel  the  greatest  joy. 

Unless  his  life  is  blended 
With  noble  thoughts  and  noble  deeds 

To  cheer  the  heart  that's  mended. 

"Hew  to  the  line,  let  the  chips  fall  where  they  may,"  is  a  good 
motto  for  those  who  attempt  to  write  history.  This  we  have  tried 
to  do,  regardless  of  whether  the  persons  written  of  are  living  or 
dead.  We  are  authorized  to  locate  men  in  this  world — "By  their 
fruits  ye  shall  know  them" — but  when  they  cross  the  divide,  it  is 
not  ours  to  even  attempt  to  fix  their  status.  That  only  belongs  to 
to  the  great  and  only  Creator.  The  good  book  gives  us  the  obituary 
of  every  man  that  ever  lived  in  these  words:  "He  lived  so  many 
years  and  he  died."  "He  did  that  which  was  pleasing  in  the  sight 
of  the  Lord — or  he  did  that  which  was  evil  in  the  Lord's  sight" 
and  there  we  leave  them. 

We  deem  it  right  and  proper  to  give  a  few  of  the  humorous 
things  that  have  happened  along  the  way  as  in  memory  they  come 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  285 

back  to  us  after  the  lapse  of  many  years.  Among  our  first  acquaint- 
ance in  Mount  Vernon  was  Adam  Clark  Johnson,  the  historian 
from  whom  we  have  copied  liberally  in  these  pages.  We  have 
many  times  enjoyed  his  quaint  sayings,  have  worked  together  with 
him  in  temperance  work  and  the  Sabbath  school  cause,  and  have 
known  and  respected  him  as  a  brother.  We  went  out  with  him  one 
Sunday  to  East  Salem  church  to  hold  a  Sunday  school  convention. 
We  were  importuned  to  teach  a  class  which  we  finally  did  under 
protest.  While  trying  to  impress  upon  the  minds  of  the  boys  the 
importance  of  living  a  Christian  life,  we  propounded  the  following 
question:  "Why  do  people  call  Brother  Johnson  a  Christian,  chil- 
dren?" "Because  they  don't  know  him,"  was  the  ready  answer 
of  a  bright  eyed  boy.  We  "called  the  little  fellow  down,"  and  he 
willingly  admitted  that  he  did  not  know  Brother  Johnson,  and 
neither  did  he,  for  everybody  knew  that  Adam  Clark  Johnson  was 
a  Christian  in  deed  and  in  truth.  But  this  incident  shows  the  im- 
portance of  being  knowable. 

ONE  ON   GENERAL  ANDERSON. 

Years  ago  every  speaker  in  political  campaigns  had  a  speech 
of  his  own,  and  only  one.  Some  of  the  Democrats,  including  "Bill" 
Anderson,  as  we  called  him,  and  Charlie  Robinson,  the  then  school 
teacher,  held  a  night  meeting  in  the  school-house  in  McClellan 
township.  They  all  delivered  their  piece  leaving  Bill  for  the  clos- 
ing, but  the  pieces  were  long  and  dry  and  the  audience,  which 
was  small  at  the  beginning,  kept  dwindling  down  until  when  it  came 
Bill's  time  to  orate,  the  half  that  remained  slid  silently  out  of  the 
side  door,  leaving  nobody  but  Bill  and  Charley  in  the  school  room. 
Bill  didn't  seem  to  notice  the  evaporation  of  his  audience  and  "kept 
going."    Finally  Charlie  handed  him  the  key  to  the  door  and  gently 


286  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

said :  "Here,  Will,  you  lock  up  when  you  get  through,"  and  Charlie 
made  a  bee-line  for  the  door. 

Speaking  of  Joy  Seed  being  named  for  Rev.  Ephraim  Joy,  re- 
minds that  one  day  we  saw  that  reverend  gentleman  in  a  grove  in 
Grant's  pasture  gesticulating  and  loudly  talking,  apparently  to  the 
trees.  From  the  words  heard  as  we  passed  by  and  from  what  we 
heard  at  the  church  the  following  Sunday,  we  felt  convinced  that  he 
was  simply  "practicing  what  he  preached" — just  as  all  good  min- 
isters and  church  members  ought  to  do. 

And  there  was  Brother  John  H.  Hill,  John  Will  Baugh's  fa- 
ther-in-law. You  remember  how  he  used  to  catch  up  all  the  popular 
melodies  of  the  day,  putting  them  and  some  of  the  good  old  Meth- 
odist hymns  together  he  would  make  the  old  church  houses  ring  out 
sweet  songs  of  praise.  And  he  had  no  excuse  to  offer,  except  that 
he  didn't  believe  the  devil  was  entitled  to  anything  good,  especially 
any  good  tunes.  An  old  sister  used  to  say,  "Brother  Hill  is  not  a 
"big  preacher,"  but  he  is  powerful  in  the  hymn  book. 

And  Rev.  John  Thatcher,  the  old  people  remember  him  for 
his  oddities.  He  had  a  farm  just  north  of  town,  which  he  culti- 
vated as  he  preached.  He  drove  out  in  an  old  shack  of  a  buggy. 
One  day  some  of  we  boys  saw  him  coming  with  a  large  barrel 
across  his  buggy,  while  he  stood  up  in  front  of  it  to  drive  the  old 
gray  horse.  We  dodged  behind  the  Asa  Watson  hill  to  see  the 
fun  we  felt  sure  was  coming.  Sure  enough,  as  he  drove  down  the 
hill  the  barrel  rolled  over  him  and  the  old  gray,  throwing  him  to 
the  ground,  while  the  horse  went  trotting  down  the  hill.  The  Rev- 
erend jumped  to  his  feet  and  looking  after  the  disappearing  buggy 
said  in  his  peculiar  snappy  way,  "I  don't  see  how  they  can  stand 
up  and  drive."  Of  course  we  boys  were  disappointed  in  the  kind 
of  words  he  used.  But  Brother  Thatcher  also  practiced  what  he 
preached. 


WALX,'S  HISTORY  OF  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  287 

Rev.   Zenas  Clifford  was  another  peculiar  character,  but  a 
fearless  one.     During  the  war  he  was  chaplain  in  the  army  as  well 
as  presiding  elder  in  Southern  Illinois.     He  was  a  "minute  man," 
always  ready  to  do  duty  wherever  found,  on  the  field,  in  hospital 
or  in  the  pulpit.     He  had  no  use  for  forms  and  ceremonies,  when 
duty  required  speedy  action.     Our  older  people  will  remember  how 
he  used  to  come  into  our  most  aristocratic  churches,  shed  his  old 
blue  army  over  coat,  throw  it  down  at  his  feet,  and  as  he  did  so  an- 
nounce a  hymn  and  request  the  congregation  to  sing.     He  was  an 
outspoken  Peter  Cartright  kind  of  a  preacher,  except  that  instead 
of  coming  down  from  the  pulpit  to  thrash  the  offender  he  would 
everlastingly  blister  such  with  stinging  rebukes.     We  remember  on 
one  occasion  he  was  preaching  from  the  text,  "Thou  are  weighed  in 
the  balances  and  found  wanting."    A  lot  of  smart-alecks  kept  run- 
ning in  and  out  and  he  waited  patiently  for  them  to  settle.     Finally 
a  couple  of  starchy-up-starts,  members  of  the  best  families,  got  up 
and  started  for  the  door  just  as  Clifford  was  repeating  the  text,  when 
he  raised  his  voice  and  added.     "That's  right,  as  fast  as  you  shoats 
are  weighed,  just  pass  out."     No  more  went  out  that  time.     At  an- 
other meeting  he  severely  rebuked  a  young  man  for  acting  silly, 
when  an  old  lady  came  and  sat  down  by  the  boy  and  kept  him 
quiet  until  the  service  was  over,  when  she  told  Clifford  that  her  son 
had  been  kicked  on  the  head  by  a  mule,  which  was  the  reason  of  his 
wild  actions.     Ever  after  that  he  would  give  the  incident  and  ex- 
plained that  he  refrained  from  rebuking  young  fellows  who  kept 
"cutting-up"  in  church,  for  fear  some  of  them  had  been  kicked  in 
the  head  by  a  drove  of  mules.    This  settled  them. 

Joshua  P.  Barrett  was  a  man  of  peculiarities.  One  of  these 
was  his  having  a  father-in-law  living  with  him  who  was  said  to  be 
the  father  of  twenty-six  children— old  man  Tong— whose  remains 
repose  in  Old  Union.    Another  peculiarity  was.  he  persisted  in  keep- 


288  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

ing  pet  bears  in  a  pen  near  the  academy;  he  lived  where  Charley 
Poole  now  lives.  The  only  zoology  we  ever  learned  was  in  teasing 
these  bears  on  our  way  to  and  from  school.  The  only  day  in  the 
year  when  these  bears  got  a  rest  was  when  a  big  circus  came  to  town. 
Another  oddity  of  the  old  man  was  (odd  indeed  in  those  days)  — 
he  was  an  abolitionist  of  the  darkest  hue.  Another  oddity  was 
raising  queer  children  like  Amos  B.,  Cyrus  A.,  good  fellows  of 
course,  but — 

RUNAWAY  negroes — PRACTICAL  ABOLITION. 

It  was  no  unusual  happening  for  a  colored  man  fleeing  from 
slavery  to  freedom  to  pass  through  Jefferson  county  and  they  always 
had  help  and  sympathy  in  their  laudable  desire  for  freedom.  "The 
law  was  for  the  Sheriff  to  arrest  such  and  put  them  in  jail  and  ad- 
vertise them,  and  if  the  owners  did  not  come  after  them  they  were 
sold  to  the  highest  bidder,  to  labor  for  their  buyer  until  the  owner 
should  come  after  them.  One  by  the  name  of  Jackson — a  good- 
hearted  old  man,  had  been  in  jail  for  some  time.  He  was  the  only 
inmate  and  it  fell  to  the  writer  to  take  his  meals  to  him.  And  finally 
the  jailer  put  him  out  in  the  truck-patch  with  the  writer  to  "hoe 
corn."  This  truck-patch  was  located  where  the  Mount  Vernon 
lumber  yard  now  is  extending  west  to  the  Carlyle  road.  Our  sym- 
pathy had  been  aroused  in  behalf  of  the  old  man,  and  he  was  not 
long  in  finding  it  out,  and  he  said:  "If  you  were  me  and  wanted  to 
go  to  Canada,  where  there  is  no  slavery  or  being  sold  away  from 
your  family,  what  would  you  do?"  We  did  not  hestitate  to  give 
him  an  answer.  We  told  him  we  would  lose  no  time  in  going. 
"Well,"  said  he,  "may  I  go?"  "Yes  indeed,"  exclaimed  we,  "go 
if  you  want  to."  "God  bless  you  young  massa,"  said  he  and  he 
went  up  the  branch  in  the  direction  of  Uncle  Tommy  Casey's,  and 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  289 

was  seen  no  more  in  Mount  Vernon.     This  was  a  case  of  practical 
abolitionism,  so  far  as  we  were  concerned. 

At  supper  time  we  reported  the  absenteeism  of  old  man  Jack- 
son, ex-slave. 

ANOTHER  CHILD  LOST. 

In  a  former  chapter  we  gave  two  thrilling  incidents  of  lost  and 
found  children  in  Rome  township.  Now  we  have  another,  with  a 
sadder  ending  than  the  others.  In  1826,  Joseph  McMean  settled 
in  Jordan's  Prairie.  In  the  fall  and  winter  his  boys  devoted  some 
attention  to  trapping.  One  day  they  left  the  cabin  with  their  traps 
as  usual,  when  a  little  four  year  old  sister  started  unknown  to  them, 
to  follow.  Her  parents  supposed  she  had  been  taken  along,  and 
knew  no  better  until  their  return,  reporting  that  they  had  seen  noth- 
ing of  her  after  leaving  home.  The  alarm  was  spread  and  search 
kept  up  for  many  days,  but  the  child  was  never  found.  Not  a  trace 
of  her,  not  even  a  shred  of  clothmg  was  ever  discovered  to  even  hint 
at  what  become  of  the  little  tot,  and  to  this  day  the  mystery  is  im- 
penetrable. No  trace  of  Indians  was  discovered,  but  the  most 
plausible  theory  was  that  some  prowling  Indian  picked  the  child  up 
and  carried  it  off.  Never  till  the  books  and  the  mysterious  of  all 
ages  are  opened  and  all  things  revealed  will  the  sequel  be  known. 
It  may  be  that  the  secret  has  been  revealed  to  the  parents  on  the 
"other  side"  e're  this. 

What  would  we  think  of  a  gang  of  men  who  would,  in  this  day 

of  quick  transit,  start  for  Pike's  peak  with  their  grub  and  outfit  in 

push  carts — expecting  to  push  their  carts  all  the  way  to  Colorado 

and  beyond?    And  yet  that  is  just  what  a  squad  of  men,  headed  by 

Porter,  the  wagon-maker,  did  here  in   1850.     It  took  them  about 

two  months  to  make  the  trip  and  it  was  reported  that  some  of  them 

struck  it  rich  after  arriving  there.     But  all  have  struck  the  other 

shore  e're  this. 
19 


290  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

Do  you  recall  how  we  had  to  "hack  it"  to  Ashley  and  some- 
times have  to  get  out  and  pry  the  hack  out  of  the  mud  and  be  half  a 
day  getting  there  and  then  wait  for  the  train  and  hack  the  balance 
of  the  day.  And  now  we  can  go  in  every  direction  twice  a  day  with 
speed  and  comfort  and  get  home  for  supper. 

We  boys  used  to  go  swimming  in  the  deep  mill  pond,  where 
the  Jefferson  lumber  yard  now  is.  One  evening  some  of  us  went 
there  and  found  the  lifeless  form  of  Capt.  W.  A.  Thomas  in  the 
pond.  He  had  evidently  been  cramped  and  overcome  by  the  water 
which  was  a  little  cool.  We  took  the  body  to  the  old  camp-house, 
where  an  inquest  was  held.  The  Captain  was  a  Mexican  war  vet- 
eran and  was  loved  and  respected  by  everybody.  He  was  "Bob's" 
father.  During  Doctor  Plummer's  term  of  office  as  Mayor  of  Mount 
Vernon,  two  of  our  town  hunters  were  out  all  day  hunting  turkeys, 
which  then  lived  in  the  timber.  Failing  to  get  any  they  were  return- 
ing and  seeing  a  lot  of  black  turkeys  at  a  farm  house  they  stopped 
and  inquired  of  the  lady  who  came  to  the  door,  "Will  you  sell  us  a 
couple  of  those  turkeys?"  "Yes,"  said  she,  "we  keep  those  black 
turkeys  to  sell  to  hunters."  "And  you  won't  give  us  away?"  said 
the  speaker.  "No,  indeed,"  said  the  lady.  "What  makes  you  think 
so?  Doctor  Plumber  has  bought  half  a  dozen  from  me  when  out 
hunting  and  I  have  never  given  him  away  yet."  "Here  Jimmy, 
go  out  and  give  these  boys  a  couple  of  them  hunters  turkeys — they 
are  paid  for.  " 

Down  at  Pavey  Chapel,  named  after  General  Pavey,  after 
the  colored  people  got  things  going  they  decided  to  have  an  ice- 
cream and  strawberry  festival.  In  making  his  announcements  the 
preacher  said,  "Brudern  and  Sistern,  we's  going  to  have  a  cream  and 
berry  doin's  next  Friday  night.  De  brudern  will  pay  for  de  berries 
and  de  sisterns  will  give  de  milk."  We  were  not  invited  and  can 
not  tell  whether  "de  sisterns"  responded  or  not. 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  291 

Every  community  has  its  professional  fishers.  One  of  Mount 
Vernon's  champions  had  been  sitting  on  the  banks  of  the  creek  all 
day  and  coming  later  displayed  a  couple  of  nice  fish,  but  his  wife  saw 
they  did  not  look  like  Casey  Fork,  and  she  said,  "Colonel,  I  have 
been  awful  anxious  about  you.  " 

"Why,  what  could  happen  to  me?" 

Oh,  I  didn't  worry  about  you,  but  it  grew  so  late  I  was  afraid 
the  fish  market  would  close  before  you  go  there  to  buy  these  fish." 

William  Hicks,  one  of  the  first  pioneers,  was  the  first  man  to 
raise  wheat  in  Jefferson  county.  He  built  his  ranch  on  what  is 
known  as  the  Denny  Robinson  place,  one  and  one-half  miles  west 
of  town.  Built  what  is  now  the  bam,  with  lumber  ripped  out  by  a 
whip  saw,  and  much  of  it  is  good  and  sound  yet.  He  went  to  Ken- 
tucky, horseback,  and  returned  with  a  bushel  of  wheat  with  which 
he  sowed  and  reaped  a  good  crop.  He  threshed  it  on  a  dry  raw- 
hide and  fanned  the  chaff  out  by  throwing  the  grain  in  the  wind 
and  letting  it  fall  back  down  on  the  hide.  Then  he  saddled  his 
horse  and  took  as  much  as  he  could  carry  back  to  Kentucky  to 
have  it  made  into  flour.  Mr.  Hicks  was  born  in  1  777,  during  the 
Revolutionary  war.  He  took  part  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  passed 
through  what  is  now  Jefferson  county  on  his  way  to  join  the  army. 
He  also  took  part  in  the  Mexican  and  Civil  wars — was  a  lieutenant 
in  the  regiment  to  which  the  writer  belonged.  He  sold  the  first 
place  and  bought  the  Bill  Grogan  farm  in  McClellan  township, 
where  he  died  in  1865,  aged  eighty-eight  years.  None  of  his  chil- 
dren are  living  except  Mrs.  Thomas  B.  Ford,  of  McClellan  town- 
ship. 

The  first  camp  meeting  was  held  at  Union  in  the  fall  of  1 820, 
in  charge  of  Rev.  J.  W.  Walker,  and  others.  Many  and  memor- 
able were  the  camp  meetings  at  Old  Union,  under  the  old  shed  that 
used  to  stand  there.     The  writer  attending  some  big  meetings  there 


292  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

as  late  as  '44  and  '46,  and  afterwards  at  the  Old  Short  Camp 
grounds,  four  miles  east  of  town.  The  Holiness  people  have  a  splen- 
did camp  ground  eight  miles  south  of  Mount  Vernon,  near  Bonnie, 
where  camp  meetings  are  held  each  year. 

We  believe  men  may  back-slide  from  their  religion  and  policies 
and  be  renewed  again,  as  this  coincides  with  our  observation  of 
men,  but  it  is  not  a  course  to  be  recommended.  A  man  ought  to 
satisfy  himself  that  he  is  right  before  he  espouses  either  religion  or 
politics,  and  then  he  ought  to  be  true  to  his  choice — unless  later 
events  show  him  he  was  mistaken ;  and  then  he  ought  to  publicly  ad- 
mit his  mistake.  In  politics  we  have  had  two  parties  with  occa- 
sionally a  mushroom  growth  of  reformers  as  side  line.  In  the  fifties 
we  had  the  American,  or  Know-Nothing  party,  which  for  a  time 
seemed  destined  to  rule  the  country,  but  is  soon  subsided.  In  the 
nineties,  the  Farmers  Mutual  Benefit  Asociation  business  sprang  up 
and  the  farmers  all  over  the  west  gave  up  their  good  money  to  get 
into  it.  Mount  Vernon  was  the  seat  of  its  official  organ,  the  Prog- 
ressive Farmer,  and  its  circulation  was  enormous.  But  like  the 
organs  of  the  third  parties  before  it  and  since,  it  flourished  like  the 
morning-glories  or  four-o'clock  for  a  while,  and  then  took  its  place 
in  our  newspapers'  grave  yard. 

In  order  that  the  next  historian  may  have  a  "starting  point," 
in  regard  to  climate,  weather,  etc.,  we  may  state  that  the  year  1908 
has  been  an  unusually  drouthy  one  in  all  parts  of  our  country.  In 
fact,  a  bit  of  history  has  been  raked  up  to  prove  this  drouth  is  the 
longest  since  the  year  1  762  or  one  hundred  and  sixty-two  years  ago. 
There  are  no  "old  settlers"  to  tell  about  it,  but  history  does  tell  us 
that  no  rain  fell  in  that  year  between  May  1  st  and  September  1  st. 
The  people  of  the  thirteen  original  colonies  (for  that  was  before  the 
union  was  formed)  had  to  send  to  England  for  food  for  their  stock. 
The  streams  dried  up,  the  fish  died  and  stock  suffered.     It  was  ex- 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  293 

tremely  dry  in  the  Ohio  and  Wabash  valleys,  which,  however, 
were  then  practically  unsettled.  But  notwithstanding  this  great 
drouth  of  the  present  year,  the  modes  of  cultivation  are  such  that  a 
fairly  good  corn,  hay  and  vegetable  crop  has  been  raised  and  the 
farmers  have  realized  big  prices  for  whatever  they  had  to  sell. 

Jefferson  county  has  produced  some  very  bright  and  effective 
preachers  and  evangelists.  In  the  beginning,  some  of  the  Caseys, 
Johnsons,  Maxeys  and  others  were  true  and  faithful  interpreters  of 
the  Scriptures,  much  like  the  evangelists  of  old,  and  though  they  are 
all  gone  their  works  do  follow  them.  In  later  days  we  have  had 
many  other  good  ones,  even  in  the  present  generation  their  voices 
have  not  been  silent  on  the  line  of  full  and  free  salvation.  Among 
them  we  mention  two  Shiloh  boys,  who  without  prestige  or  money 
have  forged  themselves  to  the  front — Revs.  J.  M.  Driver  and  Ed 
Fergerson.  The  former  was  the  son  of  Judge  Driver,  who  died 
but  a  few  years  ago.  Young  Driver  ranks  as  one  of  the  most  elo- 
quent pulpit  orators  of  the  day.  He  secured  a  good  education  and 
has  been  listened  to  with  delight  by  people  in  Boston  and  other 
eastern  cities.  He  is  now  pastor  of  the  People's  church  at  Chicago, 
and  is  excelled  by  none  in  his  eloquence  and  devotion  to  the  cause 
of  religion.  The  other,  Ed  Fergerson,  as  he  is  known,  although 
not  so  highly  educated,  is  a  wonderful  power  in  the  pulpit,  and  es- 
pecially at  camp  meetings.  He  has  calls  from  over  half  of  the 
states  of  the  Union  to  come  and  hold  camp  meetings.  He  came  to 
the  ministry  from  the  farm,  via  a  railroad  laborer,  and  is  known  as 
the  Railroad  Evangelist.  He  is  a  wonder  to  many,  but  is  thoroughly 
a  man  of  God,  with  a  promise  of  many  days  of  usefulness. 

\V.  Duff  Piercy,  a  native  of  Jefferson,  Indiana,  and  a  son  of 
the  pioneer.  Dr.  J.  B.  Piercy,  who  died  recently,  is  a  young  man  of 
considerable  ability  and  as  a  teacher  and  speaker,  and  bids  fair  to 
achieve  good  success  in  his  chosen  line  of  action.  He  has  recently 


294  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

been  placed  on  the  literary  lists,  as  a  chautauqua  lecturer,  and  will 
no  doubt  become  popular  as  such,  if  de  does  not  permit  low  grade 
politics  to  eclipse  his  higher  ideals  of  righteousness.  Until  recently  he 
has  held  the  position  of  private  secretary  to  Congressman  Foster  of 
this  district,  but  claims  that  it  was  not  only  distasteful  but  unre- 
munerative,  and  we  are  glad  to  see  him  turn  his  abilities  in  what 
we  consider  a  better  direction.  He  is  a  Shiloh  township  production 
along  with  Rev.  John  M.  Driver,  and  Evangelist  Ed  Fergerson. 

People  have  troubles — of  course  they  do — some  real  ones,  but 
more  of  an  imaginary  character.  This  is  fully  illustrated  by  an  old 
sister,  who  in  the  class  meeting  used  to  reiterate  the  plea  that  she 
had  more  trouble  than  anybody.  Oh,  she  had  trouble,  trouble, 
trouble,  but  she  would  always  conclude  by  saying,  "But  thank 
God,  most  of  my  troubles  never  come  to  pass."  Just  so  with  many 
others.  Let  us  not  cross  the  bridges  we  have  never  reached,  is  the 
sequel. 

Then  there  is  another  great  mistake  people  who  are  trying  to 
be  religious  make.  A  reporter  at  one  of  our  big  meetings,  on 
giving  an  account  of  a  service  held  by  Rev.  Driver  referred  to  above, 
said,  "he  uttered  one  of  the  most  eloquent  prayers  ever  delivered  to 
a  Mount  Vernon  audience."  There  it  is — people  seem  to  think 
that  the  average  prayer  is  delivered  to  the  audience,  and  how  often 
is  it  the  case?  We  do  not  know,  but  God  does — better  pray  to 
the  Creator  and  the  true  worshiper  will  be  benefited,  whether  the 
audience  is  or  not.  As  we  have  already  said,  if  anybody  wants 
to  use  these  thoughts  they  are  welcome  to  do  so,  for  as  Pilate  said, 
"What  we  have  vyritten — we  have  written."  And  we  trust  the 
same  may  do  somebody  some  good. 

Comrade  Vic  Rosenderger,  of  McClellan  township,  boasts  of 
being  the  first  man  to  volunteer  for  the  defense  of  the  Union  and 
the  flag,  after  fortress  Monroe  was  fired  upon.  He  immediately 
went  to  Centralia  and  joined  the  Twenty-second  Regiment,  which 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  295 

was  forming  there.     He  served  his  three  years  out  and  re-enlisted 
and  served  two  years  more,  making  five  years  "or  during  the  war. 
He  is  still  hale  and  hearty  at  the  age  of  seventy-three. 

All  our  Jefferson  county  people  had  forefathers,  but  Frank  Fer- 
guson says  he  had  four  mothers,  his  own,  God,  step,  and  in-law. 

Senator  Sam  Casey,  with  a  broad  gauged  laugh,  used  to  tell 
a  good  one  on  Green  Depriest;  when  the  inhabitans  all  turned  their 
hogs  into  the  woods  and  let  them  fatten  on  the  masts,  acorns,  nuts, 
etc.  Sam  said  all  the  neighbors  had  hogs  on  mast  but  Depriest, 
but  when  hog-killing  time  was  ripe,  Depriest  who  lived  in  the  hog 
ranches  had  all  the  hog  and  hominy  he  needed,  although  he  never 
owned  hogs.  Finally  a  few  of  the  neighbors  went  to  him  and  said: 
"Depriest,  don't  bother  our  hogs  this  fall  and  we  will  give  you  a 
thousand  pounds  of  meat  when  we  kill  them."  Depriest  hung  his 
head  and  after  studying  a  minute  said,  "make  it  fifteen  hundred, 
and  by-Dod  its  a  dicker."  And  this  carries  us  back  to  "them  old 
hog-killing  times,"  with  all  their  joys  edible  and  social.  We  feel 
sorry  for  the  people  to  whom  the  joys  of  hog-killing  time  is  a  sealed 
book,  when  neighbors  used  to  help  neighbors  and  swap  fresh  meat 
for  vegetables,  etc.,  and  the  delights  rising  from  trying  out  lard,  the 
musical  scruntch  of  the  old  sausage  grinder;  and  gravy;  and  the 
cracklin'-bread,  and  Johnny  cakes,  on  the  hearth,  then  the  stomach 
pleasing  meals  of  roast  ribs  and  boiled  back-bones,  kraut  and  dump- 
lings, ham  hock  and  cabbage,  pig-feet,  souse,  pumpkin-bread,  etc.; 
yum,  yum,  go  away  with  your  fine-haired  repasts,  your  French 
chefs,  cafes,  and  foreign  lingos,  but  give  us  the  good  old-fashioned 
"hog-killin'  times."       O  me!  O  my!" 

Sing  an  old  song  of  the  hog-killin'  time. 

No  matter  about  meter  or  rhyme. 

Ask  in  the  neighbors — all  who  are  willing. 

And  show  that  hog-killin's  mighty  good  fillin'. 


296  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

Saturday  night,  last,  one  of  our  old  citizens  heard  a  noise  in  his 
chicken  house.  He  grasped  his  gun  and  went  to  the  chicken  house 
door.  "Who's  there?"  shouted  our  friend,  but  no  answer.  "Who's 
there?  I'm  going  to  shoot!"  A  trembling  voice  from  the  furthest 
corner,  "Deed  sah,  dey  am't  nobody  hyah,'  ceptm'  us  chickens." 

We  are  satisfied  that  several  Jefferson  county  fellows  were  cut 
out  for  capitalists,  including  ourselves,  but  unfortunately — or  fortun- 
ately— as  the  case  may  be — the  capital  was  "cut  out"  before  we 
happened  along. 

ASA  AND  THE  SKUNK. 

Asa  Watson  said  he  was  never  "skunked"  out  but  once.  He 
went  down  to  the  pasture  branch,  back  of  his  place  on  the  hill  north 
of  town  to  hunt  his  cow,  when  he  suddenly  ran  on  to  a  skunk.  Asa 
tried  to  "renig"  and  run,  but  the  skunk  "took  it  up,"  and  played  his 
trump  card  much  to  Asa's  disgust  and  as  he  "jerked  up  a  chunk  and 
hurled  it  at  the  skunk,"  he  said  he  smelled  seventeen  distinct  kinds 
of  perfumery,  each  one  worse  than  the  cheap  musk  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  which  used  to  almost  prostrate  the  boys  as  we  went  "nos- 
in"  about  among  the  sweet-scented  girls.  After  the  above  incident 
Asa  always  gave  Mr.  Skunk  both  sides  of  the  road  when  about  to 
meet  him. 

When  the  writer  kept  hotel  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the 
square,  a  tramp  burglarized  a  room  in  broad  daylight.  He  was 
arrested,  taken  before  the  grand  jury,  found  guilty,  pled  guilty  and 
Judge  Boggs,  who  was  on  the  bench,  sentenced  him  to  two  years  in 
the  penitentiary— all  the  same  day.  But  the  funny  part  of  it  was, 
the  Judge  got  the  names  mixed  and  said,  "Two  years  will  be  the 
term  of  Mr.  Wall  in  the  penitentiary."  This  was  the  first  and  last 
time  we  have  been  sentenced,  but  the  Judge  corrected  himself  and 
the  other  fellow  got  the  benefit  of  the  sentence.  This  reminds  us 
that 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  297 

Helen's  voice  has  long  been  still, 

Cleopatra  sighs  no  more; 
Not  a  single  shred  remains 
Of  the  sashes  or  the  trains 

Which  the  Queen  of  Sheba  wore. 

Ah,  but  what  care  you  and  I  ? 

They  are  dust,  as  has  been  said ; 
If  they  still  could  see  the  light. 
Which  of  them,  I  ask  you,  might 

Cause  a  man  to  lose  his  head? 

In  fact,  with  the  great  increase  of  population  big  prices  for 
produce  have  come  to  stay.  Where  eggs  used  to  be  a  drug  in  the 
market  they  can  not  now  be  had  for  less  than  thirty  cents  per  dozen, 
and  butter  twenty-five  to  thirty-five  cents  per  pound,  and  other 
things  in  proportion.  The  day  of  cheap  things  has  passed  in  the 
line  of  vegetables  and  clothing,  and  also  we  trust  we  may  no  longer 
have  cheap  men. 

DRY  SUMMERS. 

All  the  older  inhabitants  will  recall  the  dry  summer  of  1854, 
when  there  was  no  rain  during  the  hot  months,  when  the  crops  were 
a  total  failure  and  feed  and  bread-stuffs  had  to  be  hauled  from  a 
great  distance  at  big  prices.  It  was  the  worst  drouth  Jefferson  coun- 
ty ever  had.  The  writer  was  working  at  the  Hagerman  Brothers 
saw  mill  on  the  Richview  road,  near  Jefferson  City,  and  drove  oxen 
to  wagons,  loaded  with  lumber  from  the  mill  to  the  site  of  Cen- 
tralia,  which  was  then  a  barren  prairie  waste,  without  a  house  or  a 
tree,  having  just  been  located  and  named.  Now  it  is  a  place  of  ten 
thousand  people,  with  fine  houses  and  trees  galore.     By  this  sign 


298  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

(dry  weather  talk)  which  we  do  not  care  to  repeat  now.  we  well 
remember  the  dry  summer  of  '54.  There  was  one  creek  between 
the  mill,  and  the  site  of  Centralia  that  contained  some  stagnant 
water  and  into  that  pool  those  oxen  would  plunge  at  break  neck 
speed  in  spite  of  all  the  loving  words  we  could  utter.  Another 
very  droughty  summer  was  that  of  1881  and  corn  was  ninety  cents 
a  bushel  and  other  things  in  proportion.  And  then  the  past  summer 
of  1 908  was  an  exceedingly  dry  one,  cutting,  short  crops  and  even 
killing  pastures,  so  that  prices  are  quite  high.  Were  it  not  for  the 
poultry  crops  and  the  cows,  it  would  he  hard  sledding  in  the  house- 
hold and  in  the  barn  this  winter. 

After  the  drouth,  the  fall  rains  came  and  now  the  wheat 
fields  "stand  dressed  in  living  green"  and  to  the  thinker  there  it  more 
of  life  in  these  delicate  tints  than  in  all  the  joyous  blooming  of  June 
roses.  These  generous  fall  showers  mean  something — yea  much, 
to  the  tillers  of  Jefferson  county  soil.  We  plow,  sow,  plant  and 
cultivate  all  to  no  purpose  unless  aided  by  the  weather.  Our  com- 
forts depend  upon  "seasonable  showers."  City  folks  know  noth- 
ing about  the  tragedies  of  life  when  creeks  grow  shallow,  wells  go 
dry,  ponds  dry  up,  and  water  tanks  fall  to  pieces  and  springs  cease 
to  flow.  Strange  how  humanity  feels  its  kinship  with  all  life  at 
such  a  time.  It  has  been  well  said  that  "rain  is  as  necessary  to  man 
as  to  vegetables."  A  wonderful  question  is  this — the  relationship 
between  humanity  and  the  elements  between  history  and  meteorolgy 
this  moisture  in  the  air  and  plenty  of  blood  in  the  veins,  and  yet  we 
feel  the  constant  need  of  these.  Then  from  these  comes  the  central 
thought  of  human  existence,  that  "by  the  sweat  of  the  brow,  man 
may  eat  bread  all  the  days  of  his  life."  God  furnishes  the  sod,  the 
sun,  the  air,  the  dew  and  the  life,  but  man  must  furnish  the  labor, 
the  sweat. 

From  God  to  sod  man  reasoneth  now. 
From  sod  to  God  mind  evolved  the  plow. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL,  299 

And 

"He  who  by  the  plow  would  thrive. 
Must  either  hold  or  drive." 

"Let  us  then  be  up  and  doing. 

With  a  heart  for  any  fate. 
Still  achieving,  still  pursuing. 

Learn  to  labor  and  to  wait." 

In  our  sketch  of  the  county  we  have  aimed  to  touch  upon  the 
principal  facts  connected  with  it  of  a  historical  nature.  It  is  not 
likely  we  have  harvested  all  the  items  that  might  have  properly  been 
used,  and  yet  we  believe  the  older  inhabitants  will  feel  that  we  have 
tried  to  do  them  justice  and  that  we  have  done  fairly  well,  consider- 
ing the  environments.  Looking  back  over  the  intervening  years  we 
see  a  wilderness,  almost  uninhabited  by  white  people,  its  solitude 
unbroken  by  a  sound  of  civilization,  we  now  see  booming  towns, 
productive  farms,  commodious  farm  houses  and  barns  where  there 
was  log  houses  and  stables.  Instead  of  the  old  log  school-houses 
and  churches,  we  now  see  nice  white  school-houses  and  still  larger 
churches,  and  all  the  modern  improvements,  and  railroads  and  tele- 
graphs and  telephones  in  every  direction.  The  verdant  wastes  have 
disappeared  and  civilization  has  come  to  stay.  And  the  energies 
which  have  made  the  present  will  not  falter,  for, 

"Right  is  right,  since  God  is  God, 

And  right  the  day  must  win ; 
To  doubt  would  be  disloyalty. 

To  falter  would  be  sin." 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

PASSED  AWAY — OLD  PIONEERS  ALL  GONE. 

"Time  like  an  ever  rolling  stream, 

Bears  all  its  sons  away." 
Nor  need  we  write  to  tell  the  tale 

Our  pen  were  doubly  weak; 
Oh,  what  can  idle  words  avail. 

Unless  the  heart  could  speak?" 

ROLL  OF  HONOR. 

Abraham  Lincoln's  one  hundredth  birthday — February  12, 
1909, — was  appropriately  celebrated  by  the  Mount  Vernon  and 
Jefferson  county  schools  and  the  G.  A.  R.  Post.  Here,  where  some 
were  disloyal  enough  to  rejoice  over  the  tragic  taking  off  of  the 
"old  tyrant,"  as  they  called  him,  in  1865,  there  are  none  today  who 
speak  of  him  m  other  than  words  of  commendation  and  praise.  In 
fact,  the  name  Lincoln  has  become  a  household  word  in  Jefferson 
county — a  name  revered  by  all. 

Without  a  single  exception,  the  last  original  old  settler  has 
taken  his  departure  for  the  unexplored  country  beyond.  Like  Co- 
lumbus they  have  discovered  a  new  country,  a  new  heaven  and  a 
new  castle,  and  no  doubt  they  are  amazed  to  find  it  a  perfect  realm 
of  unexplainable  beauty,  with  not  resemblance  to  the  barren  wastes 
they  encountered  m  coming  to  Jefferson  county.  If  so,  why  should 
we  wish  them  back  again  m  this  vale  of  shadows,  this  land  of  sick- 
ness, pain,  death  and  bereavement.  Neither  should  we  envy  them 
their  home  of  love  and  beauty,  but  should  look  well  to  our  own 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON  CO..  ILL.  301 

lives — and  see  that  we  are  approximating,  as  nearly  as  possible,  that 
glorious  life  to  come. 

As  we  have  already  said,  there  is  not  a  man  in  sight  who  was 
here  when  we  came,  in  1842,  and  but  very  few  children.  Even 
the  generation  following  the  original  pioneers  are  growing  few  and 
far  between  and  the  important  thing  for  each  one  of  us  is  to  know 
where  we  are  going.     It  may  be  so. 

Take  the  business  men  of  the  forties  and  fifties,  the  Johnsons, 
Caseys,  Maxeys,  and  Paces  and  Andersons,  of  any  and  every  name, 
Walter  B.  Scates,  Downing  Baugh,  Judge  Satterfield.  Judge 
Dodds,  George  Mills,  James  Rahn,Ed  Ridgway,Dan  Baltzell,  and 
a  few  others  who  were  here  when  we  came,  and  whose  acquaint- 
ance and  friendship  we  highly  prized,  and  later.  Doctor  Green, 
W.  H.  Herdman,  James  B.  Tolle,  B.  F.  Wingate,  Bob  Castles,  S. 
G.  Hicks,  the  Yearnwoods,  Samuel  Schanks;  and  still  later,  S.  T. 
Strattan,  J.  E.  Fergerson,  Thomas  Hobbs,  C.  H.  Patton,  Col.  G. 
W.  Evans,  C.  D.  Ham,  Uncle  Jerry  Taylor,  Judge  Pollock,  James 
M.  Pace,  R.  A.  D.  Wilbanks,  George  H.  Varnell,  Albion  F.  Tay- 
lor, H.  W.  Seimer,  and  a  great  host  who  came  and  embarked  in 
business  after  the  war  and  after  the  railroads  came — all  departed — 
most  of  them  have  "crossed  the  bar."  This  list  might  be  greatly  ex- 
tended and  amplified,  but  the  heart  grows  very  weary  as  we  con- 
template the  impossibilities  of  getting  all  the  names  of  the  missing 
ones.     It  is  enough  to  know  that — they  are  gone. 

And  even  the  second  and  the  third  generations  of  "old  set- 
tlers" are  thinning  down  very  fast.  The  following  information  which 
we  were  unable  to  obtain  from  the  living  friends  of  the  departed 
we  cull  from  the  grave-stones  and  certainly  they  would  not  be  mis- 
taken. But  even  here  we  find  ourselves  balked  in  our  search  for  in- 
formation, for  many  of  the  graves  of  the  first  settlers  have  been 
leveled,  overgrown  and  lost  sight  of,  with  not  even  a  board  or  sand 


302  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

rock  to  mark  the  resting  place  of  their  dust.  This  is  not  at  all  com- 
mendable, but  'tis  true,  'tis  pity;  'tis  pity,  'tis  true.  Among  those 
who  have  left  us  are : 

Rev.  Rhodam  Allen,  1851;  William  Cole,  1853;  in  1861, 
L.  A.  Gilbert;  David  Guthrie,  1859;  in  1862,  David  Bullock, 
William  Wood,  Wiley  Piper,  John  Dickerman;  1864,  M.  Piper, 
and  ex-Sheriff  Piper.  In  1866,  Rev.  George  W.  Allen,  and  wife, 
J.  R.  Allen.  In  1870,  S.  K.  Casey  and  wife.  In  1871,  William 
Dodds,  ex-Sheriff,  Clerk,  Judge,  etc.  1872,  Milton  Kelley,  James 
Gibson.  1873,  Homer  Thomas.  1874,  Joshua  P.  Barrett;  1876, 
G.  W.  Smith,  McCord  Pate.  1877,  John  McGlothlin.  1879, 
William  Malone,  Thomas  Bullock,  WiUiam  Beaty,  I.  W.  May- 
field.  1881 ,  H.  B.  Newby,  Warner  White,  C.  T.  Pace,  John  T. 
Johnson.  1882,  Andrew  J.  Watson,  Sukey  Johnson.  1885,  N. 
C.  Pace.  1 886,  Van  Wilbanks.  1888,  George  Bullock.  Henry 
Waters,  Zadok  Pace,  J.  Gilbert.  1890,  Thomas  L.  Moss,  D.  C. 
Jones,  Isaac  Garrison,  J.  McGlothlin.  1891,  W.  D.  Edgington, 
W.  H.  Summers,  William  Hill.  1892,  I.  C.  Howe,  Hezekiah 
McLaughlin.  1895,  Jerry  Taylor,  J.  S.  Waite.  1897,  John  Gib- 
son, S.  T.  Stratton.  1899,  George  Wesley  Johnson,  C.  D.  Ham, 
William  Blair.  1901,  Philo  Gilbert,  W.  B.  Anderson.  1902. 
Reuben  Moyer,  I.  Maxey,  E.  C.  Pace.  1903,  Mark  Burroughs, 
John  Waite.  1905,  Capt.  Henry  Stephenson.  1906,  Doctor  Green, 
Henry  Hobbs.     1 907,  Claiborn  Harper,  S.  F.  Taylor. 

ESPECIAL  ROLL  OF   HONOR. 

Soldiers  buried  in  cemeteries  near  Mount  Vernon  who  com- 
pose this  roll  of  honor : 

Revolutionary  war — Lloyd  Ward,  William  Tong. 

War  of  1812— A.  B.  Pence,  B.  N.  Maxey,  Asa  Bateman. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  303 

Thomas  Badgett,  John  McLaughHn,  Joseph  McMeen,  Zach  Har- 
vey, Nat  Parker,  Jonathan  Guthrie,  Hardy  Ames,  Joel  Pace, 
James  Johnson. 

War  of  1832— Gilbert  Lane,  F.  S.  Casey,  Josh  Owen. 
George  Bullock,  Peter  Owen,  John  R.  Allen,  H.  D.  Allen,  Lewis 
Cole,  J.  R.  Satterfield. 

Mexican  war — J.  J.  Fly,  Albert  Hails,  John  Ames,  Alfred 
Dickerson,  Noah  Johnston,  paymaster. 

Great  war  1861-65 — Charles  Maxey,  One  Hundred  Tenth; 
Mark  Hails,  Sixtieth;  S.  J.  Galbreath,  Eightieth;  Benjamin  T. 
Johnson,  First  Cavalry;  J.  M.  Galbreath,  Thirty-second;  Logan 
McGrew,  Hardin  Wood,  Fifth  Cavalry;  J.  T.  Shelton,  Eightieth; 
George  A.  Collins,  One  Hundred  Tenth;  James  Bishop,  One  Hun- 
dred Twenty-second;  Joseph  C.  Galbreath,  Eightieth;  Frank  Wil- 
liamson, Thirtieth;  Thomas  Maddox,  Thirteenth;  John  Harlan, 
Sixtieth;  George  J.  Pettit,  Ninth  Iowa  Cavalry;  S.  Bruce,  Eight- 
ieth ;  Jonathan  T.  Ingram,  Eightieth ;  Frank  Parker,  Forty-fourth ; 
Ludwell  Huston,  Forty-first;  J.  Van  Maxey,  Eightieth;  Zadok 
Galbreath,  First  Cavalry;  Clinton  M.  Casey,  Twentieth;  Noah 
Johnston  Bullock,  Forty-fourth;  John  Bond,  Sixtieth;  David  Terry, 
Forty-fourth;  L.  E.  Gilbert,  Forty-fourth;  J.  M.  Slade,  Forty- 
eighth;  William  H.  Pavey,  Forty- fourth ;  Henry  Piper,  Forty- 
fourth;  J.  W.  Rigsby,  Eightieth;  J.  R.  Ridgway,  Eighth;  W.  R. 
Guthrie,  Eightieth;  Enoch  Robinson,  Sixtieth;  Albert  Guthrie, 
Forty-eighth;  R.  N.  Taylor,  One  Hundred  Tenth;  A.  A.  Rice, 
One  Hundred  Tenth ;  Abner  Kite,  Fourth  Virginia ;  A.  J.  Watson, 
Forty-fourth;  Robert  Guthrie,  One  Hundred  Tenth;  Thomas  Mc- 
'  Gill,  Thirty-second;  Joseph  Guthrie,  Sixtieth ; X. T. Markham, One 
Hundred  Twentieth;  J.  W.  Hitchcock,  Eighteenth  and  One  Hun- 
dred Thirty-second  Indiana;  James  A.  White,  Sixth  Cavalry  ;C.W. 
Allen,  Sixtieth;  Riley  Douthete,  Arkansas  Regiment;  B.  R.  Cun- 


304  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

ningham.  Eleventh;  Alfred  Dickerson,  One  Hundred  Forty-third; 
H.  W.  Wells,  One  Hundred  Thirty-sixth;  James  M.  Fulwider, 
Forty-fourth  Indiana;  Josiah  Fool,  Forty-second;  J.  C.  Grant,  artil- 
lery; James  Pool,  Forty-second;  William  Jackson,  Fifteenth  Cav- 
alry; E.  E.  Lanham,  One  Hundred  Eleventh;  B.  P.  Reece,  Third 
Cavalry;  B.  F.  Bullock,  Forty-fourth;  John  Waite,  Forty-fourth; 
George  Morgan,  Thirty-third;  G.  W.  Marteeny,  Seventh;  T.  W. 
Bryant,   Fifth  Cavalry;  William  Pool,   Frank   Pool   and  Z.   C. 
Maulding,  Fortieth;  Joseph  Phillips,  Fortieth;  Lyman  Coleman, 
William  H.  Hinman,  Sixth  Cavalry;  Matt  Rough,  Sixth  Cavalry; 
John  B.  Crowder,  Forty-fourth;  Newton  C.  Pace,  Eightieth;  Wil- 
liam H.  Summers,  Fortieth;  John  B.  Coleman,  Sixtieth;  H.  T. 
Waters,  Sixtieth;  William  Hill,  Eightieth;  Sam  T.  Latham,  Six- 
tieth; Zadok  Pace,  Eightieth;  William  Desollar,  Forty-first;  Ed 
Cox,  Fourth  Cavalry ;  George  A.  Reed,  Eighty-third  ;  James  Wood- 
ward, Fifty-first;  T.  H.  Hobbs,  One  Hundred  Tenth;  John  Gib- 
son,  Sixtieth;    Henry   Ellis,   One   Hundred   Thirty-sixth;    Robert 
Louth,  Fiftieth;  Nathan  Melton,  Eightieth;  J.  C.  Branham,  Six- 
tieth; William  Ellis,  Sixth  Cavalry;  William  Hanks,  J.  S.  Brooks, 
Forty-ninth ;  Suel  Tucker,  Eighty-seventh ;  E.  V.  Satterfield,  Eight- 
eenth ;  George  W.  Evans,  Sixtieth ;  F.  A.  Smith,  Eleventh ;  W.  W. 
Anderson,  Twenty-seventh  Ohio;  Edward  J.  Watson,  Forty-sec- 
ond; William  K.  Collins,  Forty-fourth;  Leroy  Brooks,  Sixtieth; 
Henry  F.  Stephenson,  Thirteenth  Cavalry;  Earl  Palmer,  Artillery; 
M.   Tribble,   One   Hundred  Tenth;   Thomas  A.   Cantrell,   One 
Hundred   Twenty-eighth;   David   Baker,   One   Hundred   Ninth; 
S.  P.  Shew,  Twenty-second ;  John  R.  Moss,  Sixtieth ;  Black  Allen, 
Forty-fourth;   Thornton   Cofield,   Eighteenth;    L.   Cuson,   Forty- 
ninth;  John  G.  Daniel,  Eleventh  Kentucky;  S.  Thompson  Pace, 
Sixtieth;  Hiram  B.  Allen,  Thirtieth;  Jack  Murphy,  Twenty-sec- 
ond; Sam  Champion,  Sixtieth;  Wesley  Ratcliff,  Eightietli;  John 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  305 

C.  Pigg,  One  Hundred  Tenth;  J.  J.  Mulvaney,  One  Hundred 
Tenth;  Thomas  J.  Owen,  Sixtieth;  James  Dodson,  One  Hundred 
Tenth;  George  Stonecipher,  John  Stonecipher,  Jacob  Dodson,  M. 
J.  McKowen,  J.  R.  Driver,  Ed  Anderson,  Eighteenth. 

Note — When  we  stop  to  consider  the  length  of  the  above 
list  of  comrades  who  answer  to  the  roll  call  on  the  other  side  of  the 
river,  we  are  not  surprised  that  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic 
post  IS  sometimes  short  of  a  quorum.  It  indicates  that  soon,  very 
soon,  the  last  reveille  will  have  sounded  and  the  grand  reunion  will 
be  complete  on  the  banks  of  the  river  of  life,  where  we  may  not  be 
ordered,  but  led  by  love,  in  grand  review  before  the  great  Com- 
mander of  the  universe.  Never  more  may  we  meet  these  dear  com- 
rades in  this  bleak  world.  This  we  know,  but  then  comes  up  the 
old,  old  question, 

"shall  we  know  each  other  there?" 

Most  certainly — why  not? — We  know  and  have  known  each 
other  here  and  shall  we  be  less  wise  in  that  land  of  love  and  per- 
fect happiness?  Nay,  nay,  a  thousand  times  nay.  The  spirit  re- 
tains its  human  form,  although  the  form  is  not  composed  of  decay- 
ing substance  as  in  this  world,  but  is  terrestrial  and  ever  new.  The 
Scriptures  clearly  teach  this  wonderful  truth.  Hence  it  is  that  rec- 
ognition and  identification  must  take  place.  Identity-recognition  is 
what  the  heart  craves,  and  the  unbroken  word  of  the  Creator  gives 
back  the  assurance — it  shall  be  so. 

All  the  anticipated  glories  of  the  reunion  on  the  other  shore 
are  heightened  by  this  blessed  assurance — we  shall  know  each  other 
there — nay  more,  our  friends  in  heaven  know  us  better  than  we 

know  ourselves. 

20 


306  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 


But  blessed  thought ;  we  shall  not  always  so 
In  darkness  and  sadness  walk  alone ; 
There  comes  a  glorious  day,  when  we  shall  know 
As  we  are  known. 
<i 
Yes,  our  fading  memories  here  will  be  brightened  in  the  other 
world,  and  instead  of  "seeing  through  a  glass  darkly"  as  we  do 
here,  we  shall  see  our  friends  and  our  Redeemer  face  to  face,  and 
tell  the  story — "Saved  by  Grace."    To  us,  this  in  no  idle  talk,  for 
we  know  that  our  comrades,  and  loved  ones  in  glory  world  are  super- 
latively happy  in  the  knowledge  of  what  will  occur  when  we  reach 
that  blissful  abode. 
So  let  us  then, 

"Be  worthy  of  death,  and  learn  to  live 
That  every  incarnation  of  our  soul, 
In  other  realms  and  worlds  and  firmaments, 
Shall  be  more  pure  and  high." 

Going  out  into  the  township  we  find  the  same  condition  as  in 
town,  nearly  all  the  early  prominent  citizens  gone.  A  few  of  the 
latter-day  business  men  are  still  around,  like  the  Youngs,  Davises, 
Damitz,  Greenwalts  and  others  in  Farrington,  Noble  French,  Doctor 
Gregory,  the  Woods,  and  the  older  lot  are  all  gone.  The  Ander- 
sons, Wilbanks,  Masons  and  others  are  gone  from  Elk  Prairie, 
but  some  of  the  Wells,  Dalbys,  J.  H.  Crosnoe  and  a  few  of  the 
others  of  the  old  stock  are  left.  So  in  Blissville,  Jesse  A.  Dees, 
is  long  since  dead  and  William  Hicks  and  Joseph  Laur,  but  Isaac 
Robinson,  the  Gilberts,  the  Mannens,  Greens,  Johnsons  and  others 
are  staying  yet.     Out  in  Casmar,  a  few  of  the  old  ones  are  left. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  307 

but  the  Champs,  Harveys,  Laceys,  Kelleys,  and  others  are  missing. 
So  in  Field,  John  McConnell,  WiUiam  Clayborne,  and  others  are 
gone,  but  the  Hawkinses,  Simmones,  Whitlocks,  and  other  still  lin- 
ger. Down  in  Moore's  Prairie,  Charles  Judd  has  come  to  town.  The 
Wilkeys,  Atchisons,  McPhersons,  Wilbanks,  Rotrammels,  Jesse 
Smith,  A.  Knowles,  and  most  of  the  rest  are  dead.  Up  in  Grand 
Prairie  it  is  the  same,  J.  W.  Hails,  Miller,  Ratts,  Payne,  Henry 
Breeze  are  gone,  but  some  of  the  Fouts,  Beals,  Kells,  and  last  but 
not  least  our  former  fellow-townsman,  Reuben  Foust,  still  live.  He 
is  eighty-eight  years  old  and  says  he  may  be  good  for  a  dozen  more 
years.  The  story  is  the  same  in  Spring  Garden,  Doctor  William  and 
Scarborough,  Peavler  and  Thompson,  Anglen  are  dead,  but  C.  M. 
Brown  and  many  other  backswoods  fellows  still  live.  In  Pendle- 
ton, L.  D.  Davenport,  Quince  Wilbanks,  S.  C.  Guthrie,  Thomas 
Holland,  William  H.  Hunter,  W.  A.  Hughey,  Jesse  Laird.  J.  W. 
Rentchler,  all  gone,  but  we  have  quite  a  squad  of  seedlingi  left  such 
as  Alonzo  Jones,  the  Estes,  Jesse  Catron,  Baker,  Cornelius,  Grimes, 
Hughes,  Metz,  Miller  and  a  host  of  others.  Bald  Hill  township, 
the  old,  old,  old  lot  is  out  and  gone  and  the  later  lot  is  very 
much  reduced  in  numbers.  Some  of  the  Mannens,  Aliens  Laurs, 
Lemons,  and  others  of  that  class  still  linger.  McClellan,  A.  T. 
Lacey,  is  the  only  real  old,  old  settler  left.  Joseph  Bradley,  George 
Allen,  W.  A.  Davis,  Rightnower,  McLaughlins,  and  others  of  this 
class  are  gone,  but  D.  G.  Jones,  the  Howes,  Elijah  Collins,  the 
Fords,  Rosenbergers,  and  a  big  lot  are  here  to  stay  as  long  as  pos- 
sible. And  thus  runs  the  whole  history  of  the  human  race,  not  only 
in  the  townships,  but  the  town  and  county  and  throughout  the  world. 
A  number  are  still  on  top  in  Dodds  township,  John  Bradford,  John 
Arnold,  Isaac  Garrison,  W.  S.  Bumpus  and  James  and  John  Estes, 
Culli,  C.  M.  Baugh,  A.  D.  Couger,  and  others  seem  loathe  to  give 
up  the  struggle.    In  Rome  township,  Isaac  Casey,  M.  D.  Bruce,  G. 


308  wall's  history  of  jefferson  cc,  ill. 

L.  Cummings,  S.  W.  Carpenter,  and  a  host  of  others  have  passed 
on,  we  still  have  the  Tilfords,  Wimberlys,  Hutchinsons,  J.  M.  B. 
Gaston,  John  R.  Cunningham,  R.  F.  Casey,  Corrells,  and  others 
with  us.  In  Webber  township,  James  C.  Maxey,  and  Dr.  J.  H. 
Newton,  have  come  to  town;  A.  Marlow,  the  Moores,  Brookman, 
and  a  long  string  of  others  are  gone,  while  Henry  Marlow,  aged 
eighty-six,  Dulaney,  the  Clarks,  the  Devises,  Harvey  M.  Maxey, 
Pulliam  Scotts;  the  Browns,  Martins,  Adamses,  and  quite  a  squad 
of  others  remain.  While  in  Shiloh  township,  Thomas  C.  Johnson, 
Jehu,  J.  D.  Maxey,  Thomas  L.  Moss,  C.  M.  Casey,  James  R. 
Driver,  Harper  and  a  host  of  the  Maxeys  and  Caseys  are 
gone  before,  but  Shiloh  always  has  a  reserve  force  even  of  old  set- 
tlers to  her  credit,  such  as  John  F.  Smith,  Doctor  Watson,  William 
Sides,  Lewis  Seward,  the  Reeds,  J.  N.  Pettit,  the  Paynes,  Jeff 
Holtslaw,  John  and  Jim  Fergerson,  and  many  others.  Then  in 
Pendleton  township  we  have  Joneses  by  the  dozen,  both  alive  and 
dead.  John  Brougher,  Russell  Brown  and  others  are  gone.  In  our 
township  outside  of  Mount  Vernon  we  find  all  the  settlers  missing, 
also  James  D.  and  Frank  Robinson,  David  Warren,  J.  P.  and 
Abraham  Lizenby,  Johnson  and  Sandford  Hutchinson,  Christopher 
Vaughn,  John  Waite,  Elijah  Wilkerson,  Van  Maxey,  George  Bur- 
ger, Doctor  Frost,  W.  T.  Frost,  and  a  host  of  others  of  a  later 
date. 

THE  VERY  LAST  OF   THE   MOHICANS. 

Already  we  have  stated  that  not  one  of  the  original  settlers  of 
Jefferson  county  remains  and  that  is  true  so  far  as  one  of  discretion- 
ary age  is  concerned,  and  even  as  to  any  one  of  them  born  in  the 
county.  But  the  death  of  Robert  Harlow  on  the  first  day  of  1 909 
revealed  the  fact  that  he  was  brought  to  fhe  county  an  infant  in 
1818,  the  year  the  state  was  admitted  into  the  Union  and  a  year 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  309 

before  the  county  was  formed.  His  death  brought  out  these  facts 
which  were  not  known  before  and  perhaps  would  have  remained 
unknown  had  he  continued  to  hve,  for  he  was  one  of  those  home- 
bodies, never  mixing  in  with  the  pubhc  or  even  letting  it  be  known 
that  he  was  "still  in  the  land  of  the  living,"  or  rather  in  the  land  of 
the  dying,  for  after  all  that  is  just  what  this  earth  is,  so  far  as  the 
physical  man  is  concerned.  He  spent  his  entire  life  within  a  ra- 
dius of  two  miles  of  where  he  died,  never  appearing  in  public,  ex- 
cept to  attend  the  local  Baptist  church  or  vote  the  local  Democratic 
ticket.  He  was  a  good  quiet  man,  but  cut  no  figure  in  county  mat- 
ters. But  he  was  the  very  last  one  of  those  who  were  here  in  1819 
(and  then  only  two  years  old),  to  leave  us  and  take  up  his  abode 
with  the  other  pioneers.  So  we  may  now  state — more  positively 
than  before  that  there  is  absolutely  not  a  person  living  that  was  here 
when  Jefferson  county  and  Mount  Vernon  came  into  existence. 
And  even  as  we  write  words  come  of  still  others  departing  for  the 
foreign  shore. 

A  DREAM  AND  ITS  FULFILLMENT. 

Jesse  H.  Smith  came  to  the  Spring  Garden  settlement  in  1829 
with  his  parents.  Mr.  Smith  grew  to  manhood,  filled  well  his  sphere 
as  a  good  citizen,  and  has  passed  on.  His  son,  Kirby  Smith,  Esq., 
tells  of  a  remarkable  dream  that  his  father  had  when  a  mere  boy, 
which  remained  with  him  through  life  and  was  literally  fulfilled  in 
his  death.  He  dreamed  that  he  vividly  saw  the  sun,  moon  and  seven 
stars  hovering  over  a  spot  of  ground  where  is  now  located  the  Smith 
cemetery,  near  the  farm  so  long  occupied  by  his  father — that  one  of 
the  stars  suddenly  fell  and  buried  itself  in  the  earth  where  the  grave 
yard  now  is  and  at  intervals  the  other  bright  bodies  fell  and  buried 
themselves  in  the  same  plot  of  earth,  until  there  was  but  one  left. 
Mr.  Smith's  interpretation  of  the  dream  was  this:     His  father  and 


310  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

mother  were  the  sun  and  moon  and  his  six  brothers  and  himself  were 
the  seven  stars.  One  by  one  they  fell  and  were  buried  there  until  he 
alone  was  left,  and  just  before  his  death  he  told  his  friends  of  the 
literal  fulfillment  of  that  boyish  dream — saying  that  when  his  body 
was  laid  to  rest  in  that  cemetery  the  dream  would  be  a  reality — fa- 
ther, mother  and  the  seven  children  reposing  there  side  by  side — 
awaiting  the  trumpet's  sound. 

Mr.  Smith  used  to  tell  of  attending  school  in  1832  in  the  first 
log  school-house  built  in  that  part  of  the  county.  It  was  located 
near  the  spring  (after  which  Spring  Garden  was  named)  just  this 
side  of  the  town.  Old  man  Softly  resided  there  within  our  recollec- 
tion. A  few  years  later  another  school-house  was  built  at  Toney's 
Point,  which  comprised  part  of  Mr.  Smith's  farm  later  on.  Ben 
Smith,  a  brother  of  Jesse,  lived  not  far  away,  and  added  materially 
to  the  Smith  population.  He  is  still  with  us,  and  is  a  public-spirited 
citizen,  and  has  a  fund  of  pioneer  experiences  to  relate  "while  you 
wait."  He  believes  that  the  inner  side  of  every  cloud  is  bright  and 
shining. 

"He  therefore  turns  his  clouds  about 
And  always  wears  them  inside  out 
To  show  their  silver  lining." 

The  Smiths  are  useful  people,  may  their  tribe  increase.  No 
sooner  said  than  done,  for  just  as  we  have  finished  writing  the  above, 
word  comes  that  the  stark  has  left  twins  at  the  residence  of  Attorney 
Kirby  Smith,  son  of  Jesse. 

J.  W.  Heck,  one  of  the  oldest  citizens  of  Moore's  Prairie 
township,  Jefferson  county,  was  born  in  the  state  of  Virginia.  Octo- 
ber 20,  1822;  moved  with  his  parents  to  Tennessee  in  1837.  In 
1861  he  moved  to  Illinois,  where  he  lived  to  the  time  of  his  death. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  311 

which  occurred  at  the  home  of  his  son,  Wilham,  on  Monday,  Jan- 
uary !  1 ,  1 909.  He  was  married  in  1 854  to  Nancy  J.  Long,  who 
preceeded  him  to  the  great  beyond  four  years  ago,  since  which  time 
he  has  made  his  home  with  his  sons.  To  this  union  were  born  four 
sons  and  four  daughters,  six  of  whom  are  yet  living :  William  and 
Thomas,  near  Belle  Rive;  Wesley,  near  Oklahoma  City,  Okla., 
Mrs.  Rado  Hughes,  Belle  Rive;  Mrs.  Mary  Neal,  near  Frisco; 
Mrs.  Barbara  Sherley,  St.  Francis,  Missouri. 

Josiah  Willis,  aged  eighty-seven,  died  at  his  home  in  Bald 
Hill  township,  this  county,  January  12,  1909,  and  was  buried  in 
the  Baptist  church  cemetery  in  Horse  Prairie,  near  his  home. 
He  is  survived  by  a  widow  and  one  son,  Charles  Raymond  Willis, 
the  fruit  of  a  second  marriage,  seven  children  from  the  first  marriage 
surviving,  as  follows:  Mrs.  J.  A.  Wyatt,  Mrs.  Mary  Martin,  Mrs. 
Martha  Fitzgerrell,  Mrs.  Malissa  Shanks  and  Henry  and  Sher- 
man Willis.  Uncle  Josiah  Willis,  a  life-long  resident  of  the 
county,  was  known  as  a  man  of  great  intelligence,  taking  an  active  in- 
terest in  the  affairs  of  the  county  and  on  several  occasions  filling 
positions  of  honor  and  trust.  He  was  a  volunteer  soldier  in  the  War 
of  the  Rebellion,  being  a  member  of  Company  A,  One  Hundred 
Tenth  Illinois  Infantry,  in  that  conflict.  He  was  about  seventy-five 
years  old  when  he  was  married  the  second  time. 

Uncle  Billy  Greer  lived  to  be  one  hundred  and  six  years  old 
and  died  recently.  Aunty  Handsacker,  aged  ninety-six,  left  for  the 
golden  shore  during  the  closing  days  of  1 908.  And,  still  the  work 
of  devastation  and  decay  of  all  things  go  on  and  on,  continually 
reminding  us  that  this  is  not  our  permanent  abiding  place,  but  we 
seek  a  city  that  hath  everlasting  foundations  made  without  hands, 
whose  builder  and  maker  is  Architect  of  the  universe. 

Word  comes  from  Oklahoma  that  "Tom  Joe"  Maxey  (one  of 


312  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

our  own  Maxeys),  the  great  singer,  who  many  years  ago,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  lamented  Prof.  P.  P.  BHss,  taught  singing  schools  in  Jef- 
ferson county,  has  completed  his  "three  score  and  ten  years,"  and 
is  now  rejoicing  in  the  glorious  knowledge  that  "The  way  of  the 
Cross  leads  home."  Professor  Bliss  and  his  sainted  wife,  it  will  be 
remembered,  had  their  sweet  spirits  crushed  out  in  the  Ashtabula 
railroad  wreck  years  ago,  and  together  they  went  sweetly  singing  to 
the  "home  beyond,"  he  in  the  full  flush  of  his  magnificent  manhood 
and  she  in  her  beauty  and  angelic  spirit  of  womanhood. 

Then  tell  us  not  these  sad  events  of  earth  end  all, 
That  so-called  death  ends  God's  power  to  save ; 

The  spirit  rebels  at  the  curtain's  fall 

That  leaves  us  stranded  in  the  grewsome  grave. 

No  cold  lifeless  grave  can  the  spirit  here  confine. 
Nor  keep  the  living  souls  of  loved  ones  here ; 

No,  no,  God  waves  his  magic  wand  o'er  yours  and  mine. 
And  wafts  their  spirits  home  through  the  upper  air. 


Then 


'Tell  us  not  in  mournful  numbers. 
Life  is  but  an  empty  dream." 


This  life  is  the  prelude  to  the  "real  life"  to  come — the  life  beyond 
the  tomb — that  life  the  marvelous  glories  of  which  is  absolutely  un- 
explainable  to  these  finite  minds  of  ours — the  "heights,  depths, 
lengths  and  breadths  of  which  it  has  not  entered  into  the  hearts  of 
mortal  man  to  conceive  of." 

"Theres  a  murmur  in  the  soul 

That  tells  of  worlds  to  be. 
As  travelers  hear  the  billows  roll. 

Before  they  reach  the  sea." 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  313 

Men  may  come  and  men  may  go; 

Old  time  knows  no  lagging. 
Some  fate  awaits  the  high  and  low; 

Let  us  keep  from  braggmg. 

Could  we  but  know 

That  land  that  ends  our  dark,  uncertain  travel.. 

Where  lie  those  happier  hills  and  meadows  bright. 

Ah!  if  beyond  the  spirits  inmost  cavil 

Aught  of  that  country  could  we  sight 

Who  would  not  wish  to  go? 

Some  people  in  the  world  seem  to  know  about  all  there  is  to 
know  about  everything,  but  not  so  with  us.  There  are  more  thmgs 
in  heaven  and  earth  than  was  ever  dreamed  of  in  our  philosphy,  we 
have  recorded  a  few  things  we  do  know  in  this  book,  but  were  the 
things  we  do  not  know,  even  enumerated  in  another  book  its  size 
would  far  outsize  this — in  fact  it  would  take  volumes  to  tell  all  we 
don't  know.  But  what  we  do  know  makes  us  glad.  We  are  glad 
that  we  "know  Him  and  the  power  of  His  resurrection  and  the  fel- 
lowship of  His  sufferings."  We  are  glad  to  know  that  if  the  house  of 
this  tabernacle  were  dissolved  we  have  a  building  of  God,  a  house 
not  made  with  hands  eternal  in  the  heavens.  We  do  not  know  just 
what  heaven  is,  but  we  know  it  is  a  place,  a  prepared  place,  for  you 
and  all  who  will  live  for  it.  Oh  how  blessed  is  the  knowing  when 
the  knowing  is  right.  It  is  not  the  amount  but  the  quality  of  the 
knowing  that  satisfies  the  human  heart. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


MOUNT  VERNON  OF  TODAY. 


Written  for  the  Delection  of  Young  and  Old,  and  for  the 
Benefit  of  the  Next  Jefferson  County  Historian,  Who  is  Authorized 
to  Help  Himself  to  Whatever  He  May  Find  in  This  Volume  Free 
of  Charge. 

"I  count  this  to  be  grandly  true. 

That  a  noble  deed  is  a  step  toward  God — 
Lifting  the  soul  from  the  common  sod. 

To  purer  and  broader  view." 

THEN  AND  NOW. 

From  the  Mount  Vernon  News,  January  1 ,  1 909 : — 

The  literary  department  of  the  News  is  indebted  to  John  A. 
Wall  for  a  glance  at  a  copy  of  volume  1 ,  No.  26,  of  the  "Mount 
Vernon  Sentinel,"  of  January  16,  1857,  a  weekly  paper  published 
in  what  was  destined  to  be  the  King  City  of  Southern  Illinois  even 
at  that  early  date,  by  John  A.  Wall  and  Joe  V.  Baugh,  the  latter 
being  the  present  editor  of  the  News,  while  Mr.  Wall  is  at  least 
temporarily  connected  with  the  same  plant  and  engaged  in  collab- 
orating a  history  of  Jefferson  county  soon  to  be  published.  Both 
youngsters  were  hovering  around  their  teens  when  they  launched  the 
Sentinel  and  it  is  no  disparagement  to  them  to  say  that  the  publica- 
tion looks  it,  though  there  are  several  more  verdant  looking  exchanges 
sent  to  the  News  after  the   lapse  of  more  than  half   a  century 


HE 


II^OIS 


STREE 


RNON. 


OF  THE 

:    1    V        111 


%^ 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  315 

than  the  Sentinel,  typographically  speaking  and  otherwise.  The 
word  "launched"  in  connection  with  Wall  &  Baugh's  identity  with 
the  Sentinel,  is  a  misnomer,  as  the  Sentinel  was  established  by  the 
late  T.  B.  Tanner  and  Thomas  S.  Casey  to  further  a  project  in  the 
interest  of  transferring  the  swamp  lands  in  the  county  to  railroad 
purposes.  That  accomplished.  Tanner  and  Casey,  both  of  whom 
afterward  became  judges  of  the  Appellate  Court  of  Illinois,  turned 
the  plant  over  to  Wall  &  Baugh,  who  were  "subs"  in  the  office.  It 
was  an  all-at-home  print,  as  that  was  prior  to  the  introduction  of 
the  "patent  insides"  adjunct  to  the  country  printing  office.  The 
Sentinel  betrays  some  of  the  results  of  Mount  Vernon  being  at  that 
time  and  for  years  subsequent  the  seat  of  the  southern  grand  division 
of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  state,  as  several  columns  of  the  publica- 
tion are  devoted  to  the  cards  of  attorneys  in  every  section  of  Egypt, 
most  of  the  patrons  in  that  line  having  passed  to  the  court  of  final 
resort. 

Mount  Vernon  is  the  home  beautiful,  the  place  of  beautiful 
homes.  None  knows  her  but  to  love.  Beautiful  not  only  for  situ- 
ation and  environment,  but  lovely  in  her  make-up,  her  everyday 
life,  and  her  citizenship,  especially  the  female  part  of  it.  Although 
up  in  the  seventies,  age  has  not  dimmed  the  writer's  vision,  for  see- 
ing the  beauty  by  which  we  are  surrounded.  But,  having  been  left 
behind  by  one  of  the  fairest  of  fair  maidens  of  lovely  Mount  Ver- 
non, after  a  joint  pilgrimage  of  forty-six  years,  we  can  only  look 
upon  the  fair  maidens  of  this  "city  beautiful"  as  "forbidden  fruit, 
and  hence  we  have  inclined  our  mind  and  heart  to  this  (we  think) 
beautiful  history  of  our  town  and  county  as  the  bride  and  pride 
of  our  closing  years.  If  we  can  bring  gladness  to  the  hearts  of  pil- 
grims here  by  this  labor  of  love,  and  finally  reach  the  "city  beauti- 
ful" on  the  other  shore,  where  joyfully  awaits  the  beautiful  ones 
gone  before,  that  will  be  glory  for  us  through  all  eternity. 


316  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.    ILL 

Since  the  cyclone  the  growth  of  the  town  has  been  phenomenal. 
New  additions  have  been  platted,  and  added  to  our  incorporate 
limits  until  now  we  have  a  territory  of  two  miles  north  and  south 
and  two  miles  east  and  west,  and  where,  ninety  years  ago,  a  dozen 
families  resided  in  rudely  constructed  cabins,  today  greater  Mount 
Vernon,  with  dimensions  enough  for  a  full  day's  travel,  with  ten 
thousand  prosperous  and  happy  people  most  of  whom  are  housed 
in  comfortable  houses  and  mansions. 

No  city  of  its  size  excels  Mount  Vernon  in  religious  and  edu- 
cational advantages  and  there  is  none  where  better  order  is  main- 
tained by  the  municipal  authorities. 

Mount  Vernon's  healthfulness  is  one  of  the  inducements  of- 
fered to  home-seekers  that  is  steadily  receiving  increased  recogni- 
tion. It  IS  of  all  Southern  Illmois  the  favorite  location  for  commer- 
cial travelers,  numbers  of  whom  have  permanent  homes  here.  Many 
wealthy  people  of  St.  Louis  have  purchased  property  for  summer 
residences  in  and  near  the  city  and  their  number  may  be  expected  to 
be.  largely  increased  after  the  completion  of  the  electric  line  has  af- 
forded them  easy  and  rapid  transfer  to  and  from  that  city. 

The  remark  of  the  gentleman  quoted  at  the  opening  of  this  arti- 
cle in  reference  to  the  moral  sentiment  pervading  this  community  is 
easily  accessible. 

The  pioneer  settlers  were  induced  to  settle  here  because  of  the 
natural  loveliness  of  the  country.  What  art  can  do  to  enhance  and 
embellish  the  beauty  of  nature  is  exemplified  on  every  hand.  Mount 
Vernon  has  been  famous  for  years  because  of  the  excellence  and 
extent  of  her  macadamized  street  system.  In  the  past  two  pr  three 
years  the  laying  of  brick  sidewalks  has  been  pushed,  and  today  there 
is  not  a  street  in  the  city  the  entire  extent  of  which  has  not  been  laid 
with  walks  of  this  character  or  such  work  is  in  progress.  Shade  trees 
line  all  thorough  fares,  in  many  cases  of  such  size  that  their  branches 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  317 

lap  over  the  center  of  the  streets.  Grassy  lawns  between  the  streets 
and  walks  and  surrounding  the  handsome  modern  built  residences 
are  kept  green  during  the  heated  days  of  the  good  old  summer  time, 
by  a  liberal  use  of  water  for  sprinkling  purposes  supplied  by  an  ex- 
cellent water  works  system,  and  there  are  few  more  inviting  spots  on 
God's  footstool  than  Mount  Vernon  during  the  heated  term. 

The  reader  will  naturally  inquire  what  has  produced  all  these 
important  and  desirable  changes  in  Mount  Vernon  in  so  short  a 
period  of  time?  Why  has  the  coal  oil  lamp  given  way  to  the  elec- 
tric light?  Why  have  the  well  and  cistern  of  our  forefathers  been 
superseded  by  the  magnificent  water  works  plant?  Why  have  the 
muddy  streets  been  covered  with  brick  and  macadam?  Why  have 
the  dangerous  wooden  walks  been  transformed  into  permanent  and 
durable  granite  and  brick?  Why  have  these  farms  and  commons 
been  destroyed  to  make  room  for  hundreds  of  new  homes?  Why 
have  over  three  thousand  five  hundred  new  people  found  homes  and 
profitable  employment  in  Mount  Vernon?  These  and  a  score  of 
similar  inquiries  can  all  be  answered  by  stating  that  Mount  Vernon's 
three  thousand  souls  of  1 890  were  chock  full  of  enterprise — the  kind 
of  enterprise  required  to  build  cities.  They  went  down  into  their 
pockets  and  gave  as  a  bonus  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  in  cash  to 
induce  the  location  of  a  mammoth  car-works  plant  in  their  midst,  and 
having  secured  it,  subscribed  and  paid  for  fifty  thousand  dollars  of 
its  capital  stock.  The  same  year  they  again  went  down  into  their 
pockets  and  drew  therefrom  fifteen  thousand  dollars  in  cash  to  in- 
duce the  extension  and  completion  of  a  second  railway  line  into  St. 
Louis,  and  all  because  they  are  continually  adding  additions  to  build- 
ing up  the  city.  Paul  has  planted,  Appolis  has  watered,  and  the 
fruits  of  their  labors,  under  the  providence  of  God,  are  falling  into 
our  hands.  It  was  always  so ;  one  plants  and  another  reaps.  Let 
us  plant  for  the  benefit  and  enjoyment  of  others,  for  instance  we  are 


318  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

realizing  but  little  for  our  labor  in  searching  out  things  old  and  new 
for  this  book,  but,  while  we  can  not  expect  to  reap  the  advantage  of 
it,  we  may  and  do  hope  that  when  we  have  gone  up  higher,  the 
coming  generations  may  at  least  feel  gratified  in  reading  it. 

As  a  starting  point  for  the  next  historian  we  will  give  a  list  of 
men  now  doing  business  around  and  adjacent  to  the  public  square 
m  Mount  Vernon  today. 

Merchants — Boston  Store,  A.  W.  B.  Johnson  &  Company, 
G.  F.  M.  Ward  &  Company,  Culli  Brothers  &  McAtee,  W.  A. 
Stollar  &  Company,  Hobbs  and  Pavey,  O.  Wallace. 

Druggists — Rackaway  &  Maxey,  R.  Buckham,  Wilson  & 
Ruthford,  O.  M.  Waters,  Rufus  Bond. 

Shoe  Store — William  Sebel  &  Bond. 

Hardware  Stores — R.  L.  Stratton,  Shisler  &  Company,  Hin- 
man  &  Matthews,  Simmons  &  Coleman,  Stull  &  Hersher,  and 
Koons  Brothers. 

Furniture  and  Undertaking — Fly  Brothers,  J.  N.  Johnson, 
Appleman  &  Compton,  J.  P.  Vaughn. 

Opticians— W.  P.  Whitlock,  R.  G.  Rutherford. 

Groceries — Howard  Casey  Company,  wholesale;  Hutchinson 
Brothers,  S.  G.  Taylor,  W.  D.  Moss,  C.  Pool,  W.  N.  Grant. 
James  Grant,  Mrs.  Hoolihan,  Culli  Brothers  &  McAtee,  W.  S. 
Summers,  W.  A.  Stollar,  Mike  Heidler. 

The  Ideal  Racket  Stores — J.  S.  Morrison,  W.  Slack. 

Clothing  Stores^ — Boston  Store,  Fred  Walker,  D.  H  Wise, 
N.  Levinson,  G.  M.  F.  Ward,  Rosembaum,  the  Boston. 

Hotels — Mahaffy,  Capitol,  Grand,  Dodson  House  and  City. 

Restaurants — Homer  Hicks,  Greek,  L.  Klump,  and  Manions. 

Dentists — B.  B.  Tatman,  L.  Irous  Rivenburg,  Richardson, 
Collins. 

Confectioners — Frank  Heiserman,  the  Greeks. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  319 

Book  and  News— R.  L.  Webb. 

Cigars  and  Tobacco — R.  Rabor,  George  Junker. 

Butchers — P.  Karsh,  Grant  Holcomb,  F.  Lenfelder. 

Jewelry— R.  G.  Rutherford,  G.  W.  Reid,  Mount  Vernon 
Jewelry  Company. 

Instruments  and  Implements — Watson  Brothers,  Manions, 
McPherson. 

Photographers — James  rlitchcock,  A.  B.  Wolf,  Harmon. 

Harness — Watson  Brothers,  D.  Goddard,  W.  E.  Jackson. 

Feed — Ira  Stell,  J.  Carlyle. 

Bakers,  Brownlow  Hawkins,  Stumpps,  D.  Archer. 

Barbers — Smith  &  Son,  Sam  Davis,  R.  Brown,  M.  May- 
berry,  Charles  Goodner,  Trammel. 

The  lawyers  and  doctors  are  given  elsewhere. 

We  shall  not  attempt  to  give  a  list  of  the  grocerymen  and  others 
doing  business  in  the  outlying  districts,  as  our  space  and  time  are  too 
limited.  We  have  three  express  offices,  with  J.  W.  Baugh,  Homer 
Hobbs,  and  R.  L.  Webb  as  agents. 

Musical  and  Sewing  Machines — John  McPherson,  an  old 
timer  who  has  composed  and  had  published  more  Sunday  school 
music  than  any  man  in  Illinois.  John  is  a  hummer,  as  well  as  a 
pioneer. 

Then  we  have  three  good  banks,  the  Ham  National,  the  Third 
National  and  the  Jefferson  State  Bank,  and  a  Light,  Water,  Gas 
&  Heat  office,  with  H.  R.  Kingman  in  charge. 

Among  the  big  fires  in  Mount  Vernon  were  the  Phoenix  block, 
in  1 868,  the  could  court-house  in  1871,  the  Stratton  and  West- 
brooks  mill  in  1884,  near  the  same  place  where  the  large  Johnson 
brick  burned  down  last  fall.  The  Pollock  lumber  yard,  the  Mount 
Vernon  Mill  near  the  Wabash  depot,  and  afterwards  the  Howard 
Casey  wholesale  and  storage  house  on  the  same  spot,  and  the  Wat- 


320  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

son  Brothers  fire  of  1898.  The  Jefferson  mill  near  the  Louisville 
&  Nashville  depot  and  other  smaller  fires.  Of  course  all  of  these 
bore  no  comparison  to  the  destruction  wrought  by  the  cyclone. 

A  company  of  farmers  in  the  south  part  of  the  county  are  ar- 
ranging to  incorporate  a  game  preserve  park  of  something  less  than 
a  thousand  acres  of  timber  land,  which  is  to  be  placed  under  the 
control  of  the  State  Game  warden.  It  will  serve  the  double  purpose 
of  being  a  timber  preserve  ranch  also — a  desirable  consideration. 

Among  the  Mount  Vernon  industries  is  Miller's  Steam  Laun- 
dry, established  by  a  Mount  Vernon  boy  of  foresight,  and  indus- 
try. From  a  small  beginning  he  has  built  up  the  plant  until  it  takes 
high  rank  among  our  industries.  In  addition  to  the  business  already 
named  we  have  many  other  stores  and  shops  in  different  parts  of  the 
city,  all  of  which  have  their  patrons,  and  are  doing  well.  Many  of 
them  will  be  in  shape  for  an  extended  notice  before  the  next  his- 
torian takes  up  the  pencil. 

John  W.  Summers,  son  of  the  old  miller  Summers,  "over  the 
creek"  has  a  nice  little  saw  mill,  corn  and  cider  mill,  at  the  northern 
edge  of  town,  and  it  is  doing  a  nice  business. 

The  ice  plant  up  at  the  reservoir  is  filling  a  long-felt  want  in 
supplying  the  city  with  ice,  besides  shipping  some.  We  might  oc- 
cupy a  chapter  or  two  giving  account  of  the  various  additions  that 
have  been  added  to  the  original  twenty  acres  comprising  the  town  of 
Mount  Vernon,  away  back  in  the  twenties,  but  it  would  be  of  no 
value  or  interest  to  any  one,  so  we  will  let  the  additions,  almost 
without  number,  take  care  of  themselves.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  ever 
since  James  Gray  and  Storms  (they  were  both  White  county  men) 
to  survey  his  big  addition  to  the  town  away  back  in  1840,  some- 
body with  land  they  were  too  busy  to  work — have  been  lying  off 
and  adding  the  same  to  the  corporate  limits  of  Mount  Vernon — 
some,   more    for   the   price   than   the  good  of  the  town — until  the 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  321 

town  has  spread  itself  almost  into  the  adjoining  townships,  and  ex- 
pansion has  been  the  order  of  the  day.  When  Mount  Vernon 
wants  more  territory  it  can  be  had,  but  more  likely  it  will  come  be- 
fore it  is  asked  for.  Everybody  wants  to  see  the  city  grow  and 
prosper,  but  it  will  be  well  if  we  "citify"  as  we  grow,  rather  than 
have  a  big  lot  of  territory  without  city  privileges  and  utilities.  The 
work  of  building  sidewalks,  and  having  the  streets  made  is  pro- 
gressing all  right,  but  the  work  already  "cut  out"  should  be  finished 
up  before  we  make  other  additions.  Let  the  good  work  of  brick- 
ing the  streets  and  making  the  granitoid  walks  continue.  Every 
brick  laid,  every  foot  of  granitoid  walk  laid  is  the  praise  of  the 
(at  the  time  much  abused)  administration  of  Mayor  S.  H.  Watson 
and  the  council  acting  with  him  in  1892,  who  bricked  the  public 
square  and  laid  the  first  granitoid  sidewalks  and  fully  inaugurated 
the  system  in  our  city.  The  progress  now  being  made  along  this 
line  shows  that  somebody  had  to  be  bold  enough  to  take  the  re- 
sponsibility of  inaugurating  every  reform,  and  everybody  now  is 
ready  to  praise  Watson's  administration  for  going  ahead,  regard- 
less of  opposition.  Let  the  good  work  go  on.  Of  churches  and 
schools  our  city  is  amply  supplied  to  suit  the  tastes  and  dispositions 
of  all.  Any  city  the  size  of  Mount  Vernon  that  gives  as  much 
money  as  we  do  for  church  and  school  purposes  can  not  fail  to  be 
up-to-date  along  these  lines.  It  is  enough  to  know  that  Mount  Ver- 
non has  twenty  churches  and  five  extensive  school-houses — and  no 
saloons. 

Mount  Vernon  has  a  fine  Chautauqua  association,  composed 
of  some  of  the  best  citizens  of  the  place  which  holds  its  annual  as- 
semblies in  the  Casey  grove  near  Oakwood  cemetery,  each  year. 
These  assemblies  are  growing  in  popularity  and  are  looked  for- 
ward to  with  anxiety.  So  far  the  meetings  have  been  held  in  a  large 
tent,  but  the  association  is  contemplating  securing  more  ground  and  . 

21 


322  wall's  history  of  jefferson  cc,  ill. 

putting  up  buildings  suitable  for  the  meetings  and  the  campers.  It 
is  the  general  wish  that  they  may  succeed.  These  chautauquas  are 
popular,  educational  and  elevating,  and  should  be  made  a  perma- 
nent part  of  our  civilization. 

In  looking  through  the  Illinois  Blue  Book,  we  find  that  most 
of  the  counties  have  soldiers'  monuments  erected,  paid  for  bv  popu- 
lar subscriptions.  This  is  very  commendable,  and  we  trust  the  next 
Jefferson  county  historian  will  be  permitted  to  refer  to  a  monument 
of  this  character  in  the  public  square  of  Mount  Vernon,  and  thus 
show  that  the  descendants  of  our  brave  soldiers  are  not  unmind- 
ful of  their  patriotic  services  in  behalf  of  the  country  and  its  flag. 
By  all  means,  give  the  next  writer  a  better  chance  than  we  have  had 
to  sound  the  praises  of  Jefferson  county  along  this  line.  Let  Jef- 
ferson county  be  up-to-date.  At  this  point  we  wish  to  respectively 
submit  this  suggestion: 

In  our  search  for  facts  for  our  new  Jefferson  County  History, 
which  was  far  and  wide,  and  in  briefly  sketching  the  life  and  services 
of  the  late  Gov.  Zadok  Casey,  the  thought  impressed  itself  on  our 
mind  that  the  Zadok  Casey  monument  (a  creditable  one)  now 
standing  in  Old  Union  graveyard,  should  be  given  a  prominent  posi- 
tion in  our  city  cemetery — Oakwood — where  it  could  be  looked  after 
and  looked  upon  by  a  grateful  community,  and  where  visitors  may 
see  that  we  have  not  forgotten  our  "illustrious  departed" — we  will 
not  say  "dead,"  for  such  men  as  Zadok  Casey — "There  is  no 
death;  these  stars  go  down  to  rise  upon  some  fairer  shore;  and 
bright  in  heaven's  jeweled  crown  they'll  shine  forever  more." 

We  think  this  change  eminently  appropriate  because  Oakwood 
occupies  part  of  the  Zadok  Casey  homestead,  and  because  Old 
Union,  with  all  its  sacred  memories,  has  become  a  back-number,  and 
is  no  longer  regarded  as  a  city  cemetery.  In  view  of  these  facts,  we 
respectively  suggest  to  our  fellow  citizen,   Mr.   Sam  Casey,  and 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  323 

Capt.  Samuel  L.  Dwight,  of  Centralia — the  surviving  grand-sons  of 
Governor  Casey,  the  beauty  of  the  change.  They  certainly  would 
have  the  endorsement  of  the  people  of  Mount  Vernon.  Besides, 
such  removal,  would  probably  be  followed  by  the  establishing  of 
other  monuments  of  "old-timers"  like  Governor  Anderson,  Major 
Johnston,  Harvey  T.  Pace,  Joel  Pace,  and  other  prominent  "old 
settlers" — in  Oakwood  cemetery,  which  is  the  proper  place  for  the 
monuments  of  Mount  Vernon's  early  citizens. 

A  WORD  TO  THE  BOYS  OF  TODAY. 

If  there  is  one  thought  more  than  another  it  is  that  we  might 
be  able  to  impress  upon  the  minds  of  the  boys  of  today  the  great 
importance  of  making  good  men  of  themselves.  Men  whom  Jef- 
ferson county  will  be  proud  of  as  their  names  are  recorded  in  the 
next  Jefferson  county  history.  It  is  not  wealth  that  makes  the  man, 
it  is  intrinsic  worth — seek  then  to  be  great  in  true  moral  value,  in 
exemplary  unselfishness  and  sterling  honesty  and  you  will  have 
cause  to  thank  God,  and  yourself  for  the  result.  Millionaries  are 
today  under  the  ban.  Their  attitude  is  apologetic  and  exculpating. 
They  are  on  the  defensive.  Even  the  fact  of  a  man's  great  wealth 
renders  him  ineligible  to  the  presidency  of  our  Republic.  The 
people  are  opposed  to  elevating  the  immensely  rich  and  now  is  the 
time  above  all  others  for  the  good  young  man  to  come  to  the  front. 
When  we  read  the  story  of  Lincoln  and  his  early  struggles  we  feel 
instinctively  that  destiny  was  unnecessarily  cruel  and  harsh.  His 
great  spirit  bore  the  deep  scars  of  those  early  struggles,  even  to  the 
grave.  No  man  had  a  past  more  depressing,  nor  a  future  more  hope- 
less and  gloomy.  The  same  may  be  said  of  General  Grant  at  the 
outbreak  of  the  Civil  war,  and  Henry  Wilson,  Senator  and  Vice- 
President,  was  born  in  the  vagrant  community  of  tinkers,  of  un- 


324  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill.    . 

known  paternity.  Morton,  the  war  Governor,  and  the  Senator 
from  Indiana,  said  the  happiest  moment  of  his  life  was  when  as  a 
boy  he  marched  into  his  native  village  at  the  head  of  a  band,  play- 
ing a  key  bugle,  while  he  was  a  hatter's  apprentice.  Garfield  and 
Sheridan,  the  barefooted  boys  on  the  tow-path  of  canals;  Andy 
Johnson,  the  tailor;  Blaine,  the  country  school  teacher;  McKinley 
and  hundreds  of  others  put  to  naught  the  modern  idea  that  ambi- 
tious youth  must  have  big  money  before  entering  public  life.  Honor, 
courage,  independent  thought,  true  manhood  and  truth  are  the 
things  needed. 

LIVING  TOO   FAST. 

Of  course  we  are  not  expected  to  discuss  even  county  finances, 
let  alone  national  finances  in  the  county  history,  and  yet  as  Jeffer- 
son county  is  part  and  parcel  of  this  great  country,  it  is  not  out  of 
the  way  to  say  that  there  is  a  feeling  among  the  people  that  our 
national  expense  bill  is  much  too  large,  and  its  continued  increase 
is  viewed  with  alarm.  There  is  danger  always  of  being  too  fast 
when  the  spirit  of  expansion  seizes  the  minds  of  law-makers.  Of 
legitimate  expenses  none  need  complain,  but  when  it  comes  to  mak- 
ing the  biggest  canal  in  the  world  outside  of  our  own  territory,  mak- 
ing extensive  deep  water  ways  within  our  borders,  improving  all 
our  rivers,  enlarging  our  already  world  renowned  naval  fleets,  ex- 
tending rural  mail  routes,  into  sparsely  settled  regions,  building 
public  buildings  in  towns  throughout  the  country,  etc.,  while  at  the 
same  time  we  are  paying  the  hundreds  of  thousand  persons  in  the 
employment  of  the  government — and  especially  the  "spend  thrifts," 
that  compose  the  national  Congress — all  at  the  same  time — pru- 
dence, economy  and  honesty  seem  to  cry  out  and  call — a  halt.  With 
a  deficit  of  over  one  hundred  and  fifty  million  dollars  per  annum 
staring  the  people  in  the  face,  no  wonder  they  fear  and  tremble  at 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  325 

the  prospect,  but  unless  the  law-makers  slow  up,  there  is  danger 
ahead.  The  people,  however,  are  glad  to  think  their  new  Presi- 
dent fully  comprehends  the  situation  and  that  with  his  power  as 
President,  he  will  greatly  obstruct  the  dangerous  work  of  Congress. 
The  new  President  shows  signs  of  true  statesmanship,  far  above  the 
average  of  our  former  executives,  and  the  people  are  looking  to  his 
administration  with  a  longing  desire  for  better  things. 

The  same  condition  of  things  above  indicated  apply  to  Illi- 
nois and  Jefferson  county,  and  there  are  multiplying  evidences  that 
not  only  as  individuals  but  as  municipalities,  states  and  government 
we  are  living  too  fast,  and  incurring  too  many  responsibilities. 

IRRIGATION. 

Arrangements  are  being  made  to  test  the  virtue  of  irrigation 
in  Jefferson  county,  under  the  direction  of  the  water  company,  and 
it  is  believed  that  it  will  work  wonders  in  the  way  of  increasing  the 
productiveness  of  our  uplands — -especially  in  the  line  of  tomato 
raising,  for  the  use  of  our  tomato  preserving  factory.  The  Snider 
Preserve  Company  has  leased  the  factory  for  the  ensuing  year  and 
are  contracting  to  use  the  product  of  a  thousand  acres  of  cultivated 
tomatoes.  Anything  that  will  increase  the  output  of  our  production 
and  meets  the  increasing  demand  for  grain  and  vegetables  is  desir- 
able, and  it  is  a  good  sign  of  future  prosperity  for  our  farmers  to 
see  them  reaching  out  for  all  improvements  that  come  along.  As 
we  have  already  said  the  whole  fabric  of  our  industrial  life  depends 
upon  what  the  farmer  is  doing  and  what  the  soil  is  producing.  Use 
every  means  to  make  it  bring  forth  abundantly. 

GOVERNMENT    EXPERIMENT    STATION    TO    BE    ESTABLISHED    AT 

MOUNT  VERNON. 

A  government  experiment  station  to  test  the  efficacy  of  irriga- 
tion in  increasing  the  productiveness  of  Southern  Illinois  soil  is  to 


326  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

be  established  at  Mount  Vernon  under  the  direction  of  Samuel  For- 
tier,  chief  of  irrigation  investigations  of  the  Agricultural  Depart- 
ment at  Washington. 

The  water  is  to  be  provided  by  the  Citizens,  Gas,  Electric  & 
Heating  Company  from  its  reservoir  four  miles  north  of  Mount 
Vernon. 

No  attempt  to  overcome  the  effects  of  the  drouth  by  irrigation 
has  been  made  generally  in  Southern  Illinois,  though  there  has  been 
some  use  of  irrigation  in  the  raising  of  garden  produce. 

We  speak  of  these  things  here  for  a  history  that  simply  refers 
to  the  primative  methods  of  the  past  and  does  not  commend  the 
advancements  of  the  present  and  suggest  and  urge  improvements 
in  the  future  is  but  little  worth  to  the  present  or  future  generations. 
We  plead  for  a  wide-awake,  progressive,  "citizenship,  up-to-date  not 
only  in  moral,  education  and  religious  life,  but  in  all  matters  per- 
taining to  the  improvement  of  the  race,  of  our  stock,  and  the  soil 
from  whence  everything  springs,  at  the  behest  of  nature  and  the  com- 
mand of  God.  Let  us  all  agree  to  a  forward  movement — onward 
and  upward,  toward  the  light  of  the  natural  sun  and  the  son  of  God. 
Then  will  our  mission  be  fulfilled  and  we,  too,  become  the  sons  of 
God. 

OUR  IDENTITY  OR  PERSONALITY. 

Humanity  is  a  queer  compound,  and  yet  under  the  same  cir- 
cumstances, the  same  environment,  it  is  much  the  same  the  world 
over.  It  is  a  queer  compound  in  this,  that  the  times  change  and 
mankind  changes  with  them.  Back  in  the  times  of  which  we  write, 
people  who  had  colds,  soaked  their  feet  in  hot  water  and  got  well. 
Now  they  have  the  grip,  take  modern  medicines  and  feel  "poorly" 
all  summer.  Then  they  had  sore-throats,  wrapped  an  old  sock 
around  it  and  went  to  work  next  morning,  but  didn't  have  any  ton- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  327 

silitis  with  surgical  operations  and  two  weeks  in  bed.  Then  they 
had  the  stomach  ache,  took  castor  oil  and  was  all  right  next  day, 
now  they  have  appendicitis  and  four  weeks  in  the  hospital.  Then 
they  worked,  now  they  labor.  Then  they  wore  underclothes — if 
they  had  them — now  they  wear  lingerie.  Then  they  took  their 
meals  at  the  home  kitchen,  now  they  go  to  the  cafe.  Then  people 
went  crazy,  now  they  have  brain-storms.  Then  they  had  love  in  a 
cabin,  now  we  have  divorce  and  alimony.  Yes  the  times  and  terms 
have  changed,  and  people  change  with  them,  and  yet,  after  all  it  is 
the  same  kind  of  flesh  and  blood,  with  the  same  streaks  of  love  and 
its  opposite — selfishness — that  they  had  in  the  olden  times — except 
perhaps — selfishness  has  outgrown  love — a  condition  that  certainly 
ought  never  to  exist  in  a  land  of  personal  liberty  like  this.  For  this 
is  a  realm  of  individuality — a  land  of  personal  identity.  There  is 
an  individuality,  a  personality  about  every  person  we  meet  that  dis- 
tinguishes him  or  her  from  every  other  person  in  the  world.  And 
this  fact  emphasizes  our  responsibility  for  every  act  we  perform  dur- 
ing our  brief  existence  here,  irrevocably  fixes  our  status  in  the 
future  life.  For  if  we  are  individually  and  personally  known  in 
this  land  of  shadows  where  we  only  "see  through  a  glass  darkly," 
how  surely  shall  we  be  known  in  the  land  of  clear  vision  and  eternal 
brightness — that  home  of  the  individual  soul  and  beautiful  person- 
ality, where  there  are  prepared  mansions  and  eternal  joy  for  all 
who  will  accept  them?  What  a  glorious  thing  is  our  individuality 
our  human  and  divine  personality? 

BIGOTRY  VS.  FANATICISM. 

In  one  of  our  western  cities  recently,  was  brought  to  the  front 
another  phase  of  Americanism  that  needs  to  be  more  carefully  stud- 
ied.    It  was  an  unfortunate  collision  between  bigotry  and  fanati- 


328  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

cism,  in  which  a  pohceman  and  three  others,  including  of  course,  the 
innocent  by-stander,  were  killed  or  hurt.  The  leader  of  the  fanatic 
band  was  attempted  to  be  arrested  on  complaint  of  the  people  who 
did  not  endorse  the  manner  in  which  they  were  conducting  worship, 
and  who  did  not  have  faith  in  their  plan  of  salvation.  Feeling  that 
they  were  protected  by  the  laws  of  our  Constitution,  they  even  went 
to  the  limit  of  resisting  arrest  and  this  brought  violence  from  both 
sides,  with  the  result  above.  The  moral  appears  to  be  this;except 
in  cases  of  fanatical  lawlessness  and  cussedness,  reaching  the  point 
where  forbearance  ceases  to  be  a  virtue,  it  would  be  better  to  stick 
fast  to  the  doctrines  handed  down  to  us  from  our  fathers,  and  let 
all  men  worship  God  according  to  the  dictates  of  their  own  con- 
science rather  than  attempt  to  prescribe  how  they  shall  worship. 
We  are  glad  to  say  that  Jefferson  county  allows  all  men  to  worship 
God  according  to  the  dictates  of  their  conscience. 

And  now  we  close  this  brief  history.  In  doing  so,  we  can 
but  hope  that  greater  material  prosperity  and  greater  moral  excel- 
lence may  come  to  this  old  town  or  city  of  Mount  Vernon  and  to 
its  individual  citizenship  in  the  coming  years  until  it  shall  excel  in 
all  things,  both  moral  and  commercial.  As  we  close  the  narrative 
of  the  doings  of  so  many  gone  before,  we  can  not  but  feel,  that 

"Sure  the  last  end 
Of  a  good  man  is  peace !     How  calm  his  exit!     ^ 
Night  dews  fall  not  more  gently  to  the  ground. 
Nor  weary  worn-out  winds  expire  so  soft. 

Behold  him  in  the  evening-tide  of  life —  '. 

A  life  well  spent— whose  early  care  it  was 

His  riper  years  should  not  upbraid  his  green ; 

By  unpreceived  degrees  he  wears  away; 

Yet,  like  the  sun,  seems  larger  at  his  setting. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO..  ILL.  329 

High  in  his  hopes  and  faith,  look  how  he  reaches 
After  the  prize  in  view,  and  Hke  a  bird 
That's  hampered,  struggles  hard  to  get  away; 
While  the  glad  gates  of  sight  are  wide  expanded 
To  let  new  glories  in,  the  first  fair  fruits 
Of  the  last  coming  harvest.   Then,  oh  then! 
Each  earth-born  joy  grows  vile  or  disappears. 
Shrunk  to  a  thmg  of  naught.    Oh,  how  he  longs 
To  have  his  passport  signed,  and  be  dismissed. 
'Tis  done,  and  now  he  is  happy !     The  glad  soul 
Has  not  a  wish  uncrowned ;  e'en  the  sad  soul 
Rests,  too,  in  hopes  of  meeting  once  again 
Its  better-half  never  to  sunder  more. 
Nor  shall  it  hope  in  vain ;  the  time  draws  on 
When  not  a  single  spot  of  burial  earth 
Whether  on  land  or  in  the  spacious  sea. 
Must  give  back  its  long-committed  dust." 

Mount  Vernon  and  Jefferson  county,  not  unlike  other  communi- 
ties inhabited  by  genus  homo,  have  had  all  kinds  of  people,  espe- 
cially two  kinds,  good  and  bad — the  people  on  the  one  hand  who 

Act  badly — cater,  strive  and  plan 

And  wallow  in  the  mire; 
And  though  they  shun  the  frying  pan. 

They  leap  into  the  fire. 

While  on  the  other  hand  by  far  the  greater  number  of  our  people 
have  trained  with  the  other  crowd,  who  said, 

"Let  us  go,  brothers,  go. 

To  the  Eden  of  heart-love. 
Where  the  fruits  of  life  gro.w. 

And  no  death  e'er  can  part  love. 


330  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

Where  the  pure  currents  flow 

From  all  gushing  hearts  together. 
And  the  wedding  of  the  Lamb 

Is  a  feast  of  joy  forever — 
Let  us  go,  brothers,  go." 

May  heaven  choicest  blessings  ever  rest  upon  every  reader  of 
this  book. 

And  though  the  world  seems  drear  as  you  idly  roam, 

And  life  seems  but  a  mystery; 
Turn  your  thoughts  toward  our  heavenly  home. 

Read  the  Bible— and  Wall's  History. 

OPTIMISTIC. 

We  have  certainly  said  enough  to  convince  the  most  pessi- 
mistic that  we  are  not  looking  for  the  hole  in  the  doughnut,  not  yet 
a  hole  in  the  ground,  nor  in  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  but  have  joyful 
anticipations  of  a  palace  in  the  skies.  We  agree  that  this  is  not  so 
bad  a  world  as  some  would  like  to  make  it,  though  whether  good 
or  bad  depends  on  how  we  take  it.  But  we  all  know  it  is  not  our 
permanent  abiding  place,  however  many  blessings  it  may  bring  us, 
we  still  have  the  assurance  within  the  "best  is  always  yet  to  be." 
The  joy  we  may  have  here  is  but  a  transient  shadow  of  the  bright 
home  beyond.  It  is  not  "death"  so  called  that  woos  our  spirits  to 
that  fair  land  but  the  "more  abundant  life"  that  beckons  us  to  scenes 
on  the  further  side  of  the  grave.  That  that  is  called  "death"  is 
simply  transition — a  getting  out  of  the  swaddling  clothes  of  earth 
and  being  dressed  in  the  beautiful  "garments  of  praise"  a  foresaking 
of  the  flesh-pots  of  earth  for  the  bountiful  menu  of  heavenly  manna 
— the  bread  of  life.  A  bidding  farewell  to  all  that  would  molest  or 
make  afraid  for  a  "fullness  of  joys  and  pleasures  forever  more." 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO..  ILL.  331 

So  there  you  have  the  faith  of  a  Christian  optimist.     Will  you  not 
cast  away  your  pessimism  and  meet  us  there  ? 

And  now  we  commit  the  future  history  of  Jefferson  county  to 
the  next  historian,  expressing  the  hope  that  he  (or  she)  may  be  able 
to  do  much  better  than  we  have  been  able  to  do.  We  found  the 
county  in  1819  with  less  than  five  hundred  inhabitants — ninety  years 
later  we  leave  it  with  a  guaranteed  population  of  thirty-five  thou- 
sand. We  found  it  without  schools,  churches,  courts,  or  functions 
of  any  kind — without  improvements  of  any  kind — without  tele- 
graphs, railroads,  telephones,  or  even  wagon  roads — without  towns, 
villages  or  even  comfortable  dwellings — with  everythmg  in  a  chaotic 
state,  and  apparently  with  a  very  misty  prospect  of  anythmg  better 
in  the  future.  But  now  we  turn  it  over  to  this  wide-awake  genera- 
tion, with  all  these  wonderful  developments  in  full  bloom,  and  fresh 
buds  still  coming  on  every  stalk,  and  shall  expect  the  next  half  cen- 
tury to  far  outrival  the  ninety  years  of  which  he  have  feebly  written. 
And  finally:  where  are  the  birds  of  gay  plumage  that  sang 
so  sweetly  in  these  vast  forests  a  hundred  years  ago?  Where  are 
the  forests?  Where  are  the  good  people  who  cleared  away  the  for- 
ests and  converted  the  whole  into  a  scene  of  beauty  and  usefulness? 
Are  they  not  in  the  far-away  climate  of  pure  delight?  Do  they  not 
beckon  to  us  from  the  beautiful  "mansions  not  made  with  hands 
eternal  in  the  heavens,"  to  come  and  enjoy  with  them  that  "far 
more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory"  that  await  all  who 
would  bask  in  the  marvelous  light  of  the  Son  of  Righteousness,  that 
far  outshines  the  natural  sun,  forever  more  ? 

Shine  on,  oh  glorious  light,  shine  on. 

While  we  pursue  the  upward  way. 
Assured  that  we  shall  each  and  every  one 

Reach  those  realms  of  everlasting  day. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THE  CLOSING  SCENE. 

"Over  the  river  they  beckon  to  me — 

Loved  ones  who've  crossed  to  the  further  side. 

I  shall  know  the  loved  ones  who  have  gone  before. 
And  joyfully  sweet  will  the  meeting  be, 

When  over  the  river,  the  peaceful  river, 
The  Angel  of  Death  shall  carry  me." 

And  now  we  have  come  to  the  closing  chapter  of  our  history, 
just  as  we  are  approaching  the  closing  days  of  our  earthly  existence, 
the  crossing  of  the  bar — the  parting  of  the  ways.  Soon,  we  shall 
reach  the  time  and  the  clime  where  we  shall  all  be  equal — where 
king  and  peasant,  rich  and  poor  shall  stand  equal  in  the  presence 
of  the  Ruler  of  the  universe,  and  surely  that  which  is  the  common 
lot  of  us  all  must  be  for  the  common  good.  In  the  light  that  comes 
beyond  what  difference  does  it  make  whether  this  earthly  existence 
was  passed  surrounded  with  the  comforts  of  earthly  wealth,  or  in 
struggling  for  the  necessaries  of  life,  as  has  been  the  lot  of  most  of 
us.  Happy,  if  we  view  this  change — this  departure,  as  did  the 
great  apostle  Paul,  when  he  said,  "the  time  of  my  departure  is  at 
hand ;  I  have  finished  my  course ;  I  have  kept  the  faith ;  I  have  fought 
the  good  fight;  henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crov^Ti  of  life, 
which  the  righteous  Judge  will  give  me"  and  then,  remembering  that 
he  had  not  lived  for  himself  alone,  he  added — "and  not  to  me  only, 
but  to  all  who  have  believed  on  His  name"  or  had  faith  in  His  ever- 
lasting words  of  truth. 


■  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  333 

t 

We  close  this  brief  history  of  the  county  by  a  brief 
History  of  Our  Own  Life. 
MORN,  NOON  AND  NIGHT. 

Life's  years  speed  sure  and  fast, 

I  near  the  end; 
The  mile-stones  all  are  past — 

Three-score  and  ten. 
I  started  with  a  crowd — 

Where  are  they  now? 
I  lost  them  on  the  road — 

I  know  not  how. 

Soon  my  crowd  declined, 

I  know  no  more;  > 

They  were  not  left  behind; 

They're  gone  before. 
The  way  was  full  joy. 

Of  hope  and  bliss, 
Of  pain  and  woe-annoy. 

And  happiness. 

Among  the  girls,  I  wed 

A  gladsome  one. 
Before  us  all  cares  fled — 

Our  race  we  run ; 
But  she  grew  weak,  dear  love. 

And   said,   "I   go 
To  that  bright  home  above 

Where  there's  no  woe." 


334  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 


Life's  journey  has  been  brief — 

That  is  to  say — 
'Was  morning,  noon  and  eve — 

But  one  short  day. 
I  scan  the  record,  aye. 

Yes,  I  am  right — 
The  journey  of  a  day — 

Morn,  Noon  and  Night. 

I  am  looking  up  to  see 

My  friends  at  rest. 
They  smile  and  beckon  me 

God  knoweth  best. 
My  days  are  almost  o'er. 

What  need  I  care — 
The  hand  that  leads  here 

Will  lead  me  there. 

And  those  I  leave  behind 
May  catch  the  song, 

And  with  their  hearts  refined 
May  hasten  on 

To  that  blest  place  on  high — 
That  home  above — 

There's  peace  and  joy — no  sigh- 
But  perfect  love. 

My  departure  is  at  hand — 

The  faith  I've  kept; 
WTiile  in  this  weary  land 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  335 

Oft  I  have  wept 
I  fight  the  fight  of  faith, 

I  wait  alone 
To  hear  the  voice  that  saith 

My  son,  come  home. 

Father,  I  hear  Thy  voice — 

Gladly  I  come 
To  make  Thy  home  my  choice. 

Thy   will   be   done. 
I  bid  farewell  to  earth 

No  more  to  roam; 
I  have  the  second  birth — 

I  am  safe  at  home. 

Yours  in  faith,  hope  and  love, 

John  A.  Wall. 


JOHN  A.  WALL. 


Our  Jefferson  county  historian,  born  in  poverty,  1836,  in 
Saline  county,  Illinois,  was  early  bereft  of  parents  and  brought  to 
Mount  Vernon  at  the  age  of  five  years  and  "bound  out"  to  Eli 
Anderson,  and  his  old  maid  sisters,  who  kept  the  old  Mount  Vernon 
Inn.  As  usual  with  children  of  this  kind,  he  had  task-masters  and 
was  "bossed  to  the  limit."  Having  been  familiar  with  slave  help 
the  family  in  which  he  spent  his  early  life  made  him  feel  the  sting 
of  servitude  and  it  is  no  wonder  that  as  he  grew  to  manhood  he 
hated  slavery  with  a  holy  hatred.  By  the  articles  binding  him  until 
he  was  twenty-one  he  was  to  have  received  a  good  education  and  a 


336  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

horse,  saddle  and  bridle,  but  Anderson,  the  party  of  the  first  part, 
having  died  and  the  good  education  not  being  forthcoming,  at  the 
age  of  seventeen,  he  feeling  that  the  horse  and  saddle  and  bridle 
would  be  like  the  education,  he  quit  the  job  and  went  to  work  on 
the  Illinois  Central  Railroad,  which  was  then  being  built;  after- 
wards working  in  a  blacksmith  shop,  and  then  helped  Uncle  Johnny 
Bogan  in  the  Jeffersonian  office.  He  "rolled"  for  the  first  paper 
printed  in  Mount  Vernon  in  August,  1 85 1 .  His  printing  office  edu- 
cation was  much  like  his  schooling,  a  day  in  and  a  day  out,  but  still 
he  received  more  education  in  the  office  than  he  did  at  school.  In 
five  years  in  connection  with  others  he  has  taken  charge  of  the  office, 
and  for  thirty  years  thereafter  was  connected  editorially  and  print- 
atorially  with  many  papers  in  Southern  Illinois,  having  edited  papers 
at  Salem,  Pinckneyville,  Marion,  Carbondale,  Cairo,  Coulterville, 
Benton,  Mount  Vernon  and  Cape  Girardeau,  Missouri.  In  Au- 
gust, 1 86 1,  he  dropped  the  pencil  and  stick  and  went  to  the  front  to 
help  save  the  Union  and  the  flag.  He  was  in  three  days'  battle  at 
Pea  Ridge,  at  the  battle  of  Perryville,  Kentucky,  and  was  in  a 
bayonet  charge,  was  severely  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Stone  River, 
and  taken  prisoner  and  suffered  in  Libby  and  other  prisons  for 
some  months,  before  being  exchanged.  He  came  home  in  1863, 
and  started  the  "Unconditional  Unionists"  with  which  to  fight 
rebels  while  he  was  unable  to  use  implements  of  warfare. 

In  1889  Mr.  Wall  was  made  postmaster  at  Mount  Vernon 
and  served  nearly  five  years  with  satisfaction  to  the  people  and 
credit  to  himself.  After  that  he  served  as  assistant  postmaster  for 
nearly  nine  years,  making  his  service  in  the  post-office  fourteen 
years.  He  served  the  Republican  party  in  two  terms  of  the  Legis- 
lature as  doorkeeper  of  the  house,  and  sergeant-at-arms  of  the  Sen- 
ate. He  served  one  term  as  assessor  of  Mount  Vernon  township  and 
did  the  entire  work  himself.     He  was  often  placed  on  the  party 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  337 

ticket  to  "fill-up"  and  always  reduced  the  opposition  majority.  He 
is  now  nearly  seventy-three  years  old,  and  is  rounding  out  his  life 
by  writing  the  History  of  Jefferson  County  and  awaiting  his  final 
discharge. 

In  1 859  he  was  married  to  Miss  Milly  F.  Watson  and  they 
lived  happily  together  until  1905,  when  she  departed  for  the  bet- 
ter land,  leaving  him  to  follow.  Their  children  are  Angus,  de- 
ceased; Al  J.,  foreman  of  the  Republican  office  at  Kankakee; 
Emma,  widow;  and  Bessie,  at  home,  and  his  grandchildren  are  as 
follows:  Ethel  and  Walter,  children  of  Angus,  deceased;  Lola, 
Leland,  Dorris  and  Donald,  children  of  Al  J.  at  Kankakee;  and 
Mildred,  daughter  of  Emma,  at  home. 

Mr.  Wall  is  a  Methodist  in  his  religious  affiliation.,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  and  an  Ancient  Odd 
Fellow. 

Mr.  Wall  has  always  considered  himself  in  the  servant  class — 
if  by  effort,  he  could  be  helpful  to  others.  When  he  was  a  "bound" 
boy  he  felt  that  he  was  a  servant ;  so,  when  he  helped  to  saw  wood 
and  help  make  ties  for  the  railroad ;  so,  when  he  became  a  disciple  of 
Faust ;  so,  when  he  took  the  obligation  to  love  and  cherish  the  bride 
of  his  choice;  so,  when  he  volunteered  to  fight  for  his  country  and 
defend  its  flag;  so,  when  he  returned  from  his  military  successes  and 
took  up  the  peaceful  duties  of  citizenship;  so,  when  he  took  upon 
himself  the  obligations  of  a  Christian  soldier,  and  so,  when  he  under- 
took to  compose  this  Jefferson  County  History.  Labor  is  part  of  his 
religion.  His  opinion  of  the  man  who  will  not  work  is  expressed  in 
the  following  lines: 

The  man  who  don't  toil  and  spin 

To  meet  his  earthly  need. 
May  think  he's  in  the  lily  class; 

But  he's  just  a  measly  weed. 

22 


338  wall's  history  opjefferson  co.,  ill. 

Or,  if  he  toils  for  self  alone — 

No  thought  of  golden  rule. 
His  selfishness  unmans  him  prone — 

He's  less  helpful  than  a  mule. 

He  contends  that — 

"Life  is  real,  life  is  earnest. 

But  the  grave  is  not  its  goal ; 
Dust  thou  art,  to  dust  returnest. 

Was  not  spoken  of  the  soul." 

Viewing  life  from  an  earthly  standpomt  alone,  it  sometimes 
seems  unsatisfying — ever  trifling — but  from  the  Christian's  Mt.  Pis- 
gah  of  Faith,  Hope  and  Love — with  life's  duties  well  performed  on 
the  one  hand,  and  the  joys  yet  to  come  on  the  other,  we  can  joyfully 
bid  farewell  to  mortality,  as  we  go  "Sweeping  through  the  gates  into 
the  city,"  singing  as  we  go: 

Life's  labor  done,  we  bid  farewell. 

Our  weary  souls  set  free. 
From  carking  cares,  we  sweetly  tell — 

The  best  is  yet  to  be. 

Yes,  dear  Jeffersonians,  come  and 

Grow  old  with  me! 

The  best  is  yet  to  be. 
The  last  of  life  for  which  the  first  was  made. 

Our  times  are  in  His  hand 

Who  saith,  "A  whole  I  planned. 
Youth  shows  but  half;  trust  God,  see  all,  nor  be  afraid!" 


Uf 


"■UHots 


^Ze^curri/ <:^  (?.^-e^ 


JAMES  M.  PACE. 


BIOGRAPHICAL 


THE  PACE  FAMILY. 

The  Pace  family  is  one  of  the  oldest  families  in  the  state  of 
Illinois.  It  is  an  English  family,  and  traces  its  history  back  about 
four  hundred  years  to  England,  where  one  of  its  members  was  a 
member  of  the  British  Parliament.  About  two  hundred  years  ago 
two  brothers  of  the  family  came  to  America,  one  locating  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  now  United  States,  the  other  in  New  York. 
The  descendants  of  these  brothers  are  distributed  in  almost  every 
state  in  the  United  States.  It  is  thought  by  members  of  the  family 
that  the  Declaration  of  Independence  was  signed  by  one  of  them, 
where  the  name  is  usually  taken  for  William  Paca,  the  original  of 
the  Declaration  of  Independence  having  been  examined  by  one  of 
the  family,  and  the  name  having  been  written  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  cause  him  to  belive  it  was  William  Pace  instead  of  William  Paca. 
Some  of  the  family  then  resided  in  Virginia.  The  Paces  have 
taken  part  in  all  the  wars  in  which  this  country  has  been  engaged. 
Two  brothers,  Joel  Pace,  Sr.,  and  John  Pace,  were  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  both  from  Virginia.  The  latter  was  a  captain  in  that 
war.  Two  sons  of  said  Joel  Pace,  Sr.,  being  Joel  Pace,  Jr.,  and 
Joseph  Pace  (twins),  were  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  in  General 
Harrison's  command.  Members  of  the  Pace  family  were  also  in 
the  Mexican  war,  and  on  both  sides  in  the  Civil  war,  some  wearing 
the  blue  and  some  the  gray,  also  in  the  Black  Hawk  war,  the  war 
with  Spain  and  in  the  Philippines.    The  older  members  of  this  fam- 


340  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

ily  who  settled  in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  came  from  Virginia  and 
Kentucky,  a  portion  of  them  locating  here  before  the  county  was 
organized.  The  oldest  member  who  located  here  was  the  above 
named  Joel  Pace,  Sr.  His  family  was  composed  of  John  M.  Pace, 
Joel  Pace,  Jr.,  Joseph  Pace,  Spencer  Pace,  William  West  Pace, 
Thomas  East  Pace,  his  sons,  and  Mary  Atwood  (wife  of  James 
Atwood),  Martha  Goodrich  (wife  of  Nathan  Goodrich),  Milly 
Baugh  (wife  of  Judge  Downing  Baugh),  and  Frances  Watson 
(wife  of  Dr.  John  W.  Watson),  his  daughters. 

Joel  Pace,  Jr.,  was  the  first  County  Clerk,  the  first  Circuit 
Clerk  and  the  first  County  Judge  of  Jefferson  county,  Illinois.  His 
family  consisted  of  Charles  T.,  Williamson  C,  Newton  C,  Addi- 
son M.  and  Samuel  F.,  his  sons;  and  Eliza  McCreary  (wife  of 
Warren  McCreary),  Letitia  Haynes  (wife  of  James  Haynes), 
and  Isabella  F.  Pavey  (wife  of  Charles  W.  Pavey),  his  daughters. 

Charles  T.  Pace  was  a  successful  merchant  in  Mount  Vernon, 
Illinois,  and  is  now  deceased.  Williamson  C.  Pace  now  resides  in 
Ashley,  Illinois,  and  has  been  successful  as  a  physician  and  surgeon 
and  business  man;  was  Mayor  of  Ashley,  Illinois,  and  was  surgeon 
of  the  One  Hundred  Tenth  Illinois  Infantry  in  the  Civil  war. 

Edward  C.  Pace,  now  deceased,  was  a  banker  in  Ashley,  Illi- 
nois, and  was  once  the  Democratic  nominee  for  State  Treasurer  of 
Illinois,  and  was  prominent  in  the  Masonic  Order. 

Newton  C.  Pace,  now  deceased,  was  a  successful  merchant, 
and  was  Mayor  of  Mount  Vernon,  Illinois,  and  was  captain  in  one 
of  the  Illinois  regiments  in  the  Civil  war,  and  with  his  brother-in-law, 
Charles  W.  Pavey,  was  for  about  two  years  held  by  the  Confed- 
erates as  prisoner  of  war.  He  was  wounded  in  assisting  to  carry 
one  of  his  wounded  comrades  from  the  battlefield.  In  doing  so  he 
took  a  risk  his  duty  as  captain  of  his  comapny  did  not  require,  but 
was  actuated  by  his  kindness  and  consideration  for  those  under  his 
command.     He  was  also  prominent  in  the  Masonic  Order. 


tl'ALL's  HISTORY  OF  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  341 

Addison  M.  Pace  has  for  many  years  been  a  resident  of  Kan- 
sas. Samuel  F.  Pace  and  Mrs.  Eliza  McCreary  and  Mrs.  Letitia 
Haynes  are  now  deceased.  Isabella  F.  Pavey  is  the  wife  of  Gen. 
Charles  V/.  Pavey,  who  was  State  Auditor  of  Illinois,  and  they  are 
residents  of  Mount  Vernon,  Illinois. 

Joseph  Pace,  the  twin  brother  of  Joel  Pace,  Jr.,  was  the  first 
County  Surveyor  of  Jefferson  county,  Illinois.  His  family  consisted 
of  Samuel  T.  Pace,  J.  Thomas  Pace  and  Warren  G.  Pace,  his 
sons;  and  Susan  F.  Dillingham,  Pamelia  Dillingham,  Margaret 
Downey,  Elizabeth  Allen  and  Mary  A.  Pace,  his  daughters.  Sam- 
uel T.  Pace  was  in  the  Sixtieth  Regiment,  Illinois  Infantry,  in  the 
Civil  war,  in  which  he  had  an  arm  so  badly  shot  it  had  to  be  ampu- 
tated. He  was  a  successful  business  man  and  is  now  deceased.  His 
brother,  J.  Thomas  Pace,  became  eminent  in  his  profession  as  a 
physician  and  surgeon,  and  is  now  deceased.  Warren  G.  Pace  died 
in  infancy.  Two  of  the  daughters  of  Joseph  Pace,  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Allen  and  Mary  A.  Pace,  now  reside  in  Mount  Vernon,  Illinois. 

Spencer  Pace,  William  West  Pace  and  Thomas  East  Pace 
departed  this  life  many  years  ago.  William  West  Pace  went  from 
Jefferson  county  to  Salem,  Illinois,  and  was  a  prominent  man  there, 
and  was  Clerk  of  one  of  the  Courts  of  Marion  county.  Some  of  his 
children  and  their  descendants  now  reside  in  Salem,  Illinois.  His 
youngest  daughter,  Josephine,  is  the  wife  of  J.  E.  Bryan,  a  lawyer 
of  Salem,  Illinois,  a  cousin  of  William  Jennings  Bryan.  Two  wid- 
owed daughters  also  reside  there. 

John  M.  Pace  was  the  oldest  son  of  Joel  Pace,  Sr.  He  came 
from  Virginia  to  Kentucky  and  from  Kentucky  to  Jefferson  county. 
Ilhnois.  His  family  consisted  of  Harvey  T.,  George  W.,  John  H. 
and  Joel  F.,  his  sons;  and  Amelia  Guthrie  and  Amanda  Rogers, 
his  daughters. 

Harvey  T.  Pace  was  the  oldest  son  of  John  M.  Pace.     He 


342  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

was  a  successful  merchant  and  business  man,  and  for  many  years  did 
the  largest  business  of  any  merchant  in  Mount  Vernon.  Illinois, 
and  was  in  general  merchandising  there  without  intermission  from 
1 832  to  the  date  of  his  death,  in  1 876,  on  the  same  corner,  being 
where  the  Third  National  Bank  now  stands.  He  was  a  progres- 
sive man  and  held  offices  of  trust.  He  was  president  of  the  first  rail- 
road company  in  this  county,  and  was  three  times  elected  a  member 
of  the  Legislature  of  Illinois,  serving  in  that  body  with  Lincoln  and 
Douglas.  His  wife's  maiden  name  was  Nancy  Bruce,  a  native  of 
Wilson  county,  Tennessee.  Her  ancestors  participated  in  the  Revo- 
lutionary war,  and  War  of  1812,  one  being  with  General  Jackson 
in  the  battle  of  New  Orleans.  Harvey  T.  Pace  and  his  wife  were 
zealous  members  of  the  Christian  church,  and  he  bought  a  church  in 
Mount  Vernon,  Illinois,  in  1 854,  for  the  use  of  that  denomination, 
which  was  used  by  it  from  that  time  till  his  death.  He  also  built  at 
his  own  expense  a  Ladies'  Seminary  and  maintained  it  for  sometime. 
His  sons  were  James  M.,  George  W.,  William  H.  and  Aurehus 
N.,  and  his  daughters,  Martha  E.  and  Mary  E. 

James  M.  Pace  was  the  oldest  son  of  Harvey  T.  Pace,  and 
was  a  lawyer  and  business  man.  He  was  public-spirited  and  pro- 
gressive and  was  ever  ready  and  willing  to  do  anything  that  would 
promote  the  welfare  of  the  city  of  Mount  Vernon  and  of  the  county 
and  state.  He  was  elected  to  many  offices  of  trust  and  confidence. 
He  was  the  first  Mayor  of  the  city  of  Mount  Vernon,  Illinois,  the 
first  County  Superintendent  of  Schools  of  Jefferson  county,  which 
position  he  held  for  eight  years,  having  been  twice  elected  to  this 
office,  and  was  Master  in  Chancery  of  this  county.  Police  Magis- 
trate of  Mount  Vernon,  Illinois,  and  was  for  about  twenty  years  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Education  of  Mount  Vernon,  a  portion  of 
the  time  being  its  president,  and  was  a  member  of  a  board  which 
maintained  a  seminary  here  for  four  years,  of  which  Rev.  Thomas 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,  ILL.  343 

H.  Herdman,  who  afterwards  was  president  of  McKendree  Col- 
lege, at  Lebanon,  Illinois,  was  principal.  When  County  Superin- 
tendent of  Schools  he  held  the  first  teachers'  institute  in  Jefferson 
county  and  was  largely  instrumental  in  establishing  the  graded 
schools  in  Mount  Vernon.  He  was  a  charter  member  of  the  Knights 
of  Pythias  Lodge  in  Mount  Vernon,  and  was  a  member  of  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  He  did  as  much  as  any  other 
person  in  securing  the  building  of  the  first  railroad  in  this  county, 
being  now  the  Louisville  &  Nashville  Railroad.  It  was  strongly  op- 
posed, and  was  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  county.  He  contributed 
of  his  own  means  and  time  in  assisting  to  carry  the  proposition,  and 
did  so  from  no  motive  whatever  except  for  the  general  good  of  the 
community.  He  had  surveyed  at  his  own  expense  a  railroad  route 
from  Mount  Vernon  to  Benton,  in  Franklin  county,  which  substan- 
tially now  forms  a  portion  of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Rail- 
road. His  life  was  an  unselfish  one— generous,  kind  and  courteous 
to  all — and  he  was  permitted  to  live  to  see  these  enterprises  for 
which  he  so  faithfully  and  earnestly  labored  all  consummated,  dem- 
onstrating the  correctness  of  his  foresight  and  judgment,  having  de- 
parted this  life  July  18,  1907,  at  the  age  of  eighty  years.  He  mar- 
ried Eleanor  C.  Vaught,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  F.  Vaught,  who 
was  a  merchant  of  Shawneetown,  Illinois,  and  also  County  Clerk  of 
Gallatin  county,  Illinois.  She,  from  her  kind  and  gentle  manner 
and  disposition,  was  a  suitable  companion  for  her  husband,  and 
they  were  permitted  to  round  out  life's  day  in  this  county,  whose 
history  they  had  assisted  in  making  and  upon  which  they  had  left 
their  impress  for  the  good  and  elevation  of  the  community  in  which 
their  lives  had  been  chiefly  spent  and  together  they  entered  life's 
evening  twilight,  the  portal  to  perpetual  day,  she  having  departed 
this  life  February  16,  1907. 

James  M.  Pace  had  two  sons,  William  T.  and  Thomas  V., 


344  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

and  a  daughter,  Virginia  M.  The  son,  Thomas  V.,  died  in  infancy. 
The  daughter,  Virginia  M.,  is  the  wife  of  Louis  H.  Bittrolff,  and 
now  resides  in  Mount  Vernon,  Illinois.  The  other  son,  William 
T.  Pace,  is  a  lawyer,  practicing  his  profession  in  Mount  Vernon. 
He  was  three  times  elected  County  Judge  of  Jefferson  county,  and 
also  acted  as  County  Judge  of  Wayne  county,  this  state,  for  a  time 
while  County  Judge  of  Jefferson  county  on  account  of  a  vacancy 
occurring  by  the  death  of  the  County  Judge  of  Wayne  county.  He 
was  an  alternate  delegate-at-large  for  the  state  of  Illinois  to  the 
Democratic  National  Convention  in  1896,  when  William  J.  Bryan 
was  first  nominated  for  President. 

Of  the  other  children  of  Harvey  T.  Pace,  one,  William  H. 
Pace,  died  in  youth  from  injuries  received  in  falling  from  a  tree. 
Another,  George  W.  Pace,  departed  this  life  when  a  young  man, 
just  entering  upon  a  prosperous  business  career.  The  other  son, 
Aurelius  N.  Pace,  resides  in  Montgomery,  Alabama.  Of  the 
daughters,  one,  Mary  E.,  departed  this  life  in  childhood;  the  other, 
Martha  E.,  is  the  wife  of  Dr.  Hiram  S.  Plummer,  and  resides  in 
Mount  Vernon,  Illinois. 

George  W.  Pace,  Sr.,  a  brother  of  Harvey  T.  Pace,  after  he 
became  grown  moved  from  Mount  Vernon  to  Salem,  Illinois.  He 
was  a  successful  merchant  and  business  man,  and  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  1 847,  of  Illinois.  Two 
of  his  sons  are  deceased.  George  W.,  Jr.,  died  when  quite  a  young 
man.  The  other  deceased  son,  Granville  R.,  was  a  prominent  mer- 
chant and  was  Mayor  of  Salem,  Illinois.  The  sons  living  are  Har- 
vey T.  Pace,  Jr.,  a  business  man  of  Salem,  and  Oscar  H.  Pace,  re- 
siding in  Mount  Vernon.  He  also  had  two  daughters,  Tabitha  J. 
Badolett,  now  deceased,  and  Ophelia  E.  Tryner,  now  residing  in 
California.  George  W.  Pace,  Sr.,  married  Tabitha  J.  Rogers,  who 
formerly  resided  in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO..  ILL.  345 

John  H.  Pace,  a  brother  of  Harvey  T.  Pace,  was  a  prominent 
merchant,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  Police  Magistrate  of 
Mount  Vernon,  Ilhnois.  Two  of  his  daughters  are  deceased,  one 
dying  in  childhood,  the  other,  Cora  A.,  married  William  D.  Tabb, 
who  is  also  deceased.  They  left  surviving  them  two  daughters,  Ger- 
trude and  Louise.  The  other  daughter  of  John  H.  Pace  is  Gussie 
Manning,  wife  of  William  Manning,  of  Howell,  Indiana  Of  the 
two  sons  of  John  H.  Pace,  one,  Willis  A.,  departed  this  life  when 
about  grown.  The  other  son,  Robert  F.  Pace,  is  a  prominent  busi- 
ness man  residing  in  Mount  Vernon,  this  state. 

A  portion  of  the  time  he  has  taken  an  active  part  in  politics, 
and  has  been  Master  in  Chancery  of  Jefferson  county  and  postmas- 
ter of  Mount  Vernon. 

The  other  son  of  John  M.  Pace,  Joel  F.,  and  a  daughter, 
Amanda  Rogers,  are  deceased.  The  other  daughter,  Amelia  Guth- 
rie, now  resides  in  Mount  Vernon  with  her  son,  John  P.  Guthrie. 

The  Pace  family  were  never  clannish  in  any  manner.  Some 
were  zealous  members  of  various  church  denominations.  Locally 
most  of  the  denominations  to  which  they  belonged  were  the  Christian, 
Methodist,  Baptist,  Presbyterian  and  Episcopal.  In  politics  they 
belonged  to  different  parties,  some  ardent  Democrats  and  others  as 
loyal  Republicans.  As  a  family  they  have  evei  been  progressive, 
conservative  citizens,  of  firmness  and  of  strong  character,  boldly  and 
fearlessly  upholding  that  which  was  elevating  and  conducive  to  the 
welfare  and  best  interests  of  the  community,  the  state  and  nation. 
And  they,  with  other  families  who  located  in  Jefferson  county,  about 
the  same  time  they  did,  have  played  well  their  part  in  making  a  his- 
tory for  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  of  which  they  feel  a  just  pride; 
and  with  those  families,  in  life's  battles,  can  truly  say,  "We  have 
kept  the  faith.     We  have  founght  a  good  fight." 


346  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

HON.  NORMAN  H.  MOSS. 

A  distinguished  member  of  the  Ilhnois  Bar  with  a  reputation  ex- 
tending beyond  the  limits  of  his  state  and  for  many  years  one  of  the 
leading  citizens  of  Southern  Illinois,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  holds 
distinctive  prestige  among  the  representative  men  of  Jefferson  coun- 
ty and  is  pre-eminently  one  of  the  influential  factors  in  the  public 
life  of  the  city,  which  he  makes  his  home.  The  family  to  which 
Hon.  Norman  H.  Moss  belongs  is  an  old  and  prorninent  one  and 
from  an  early  day  has  been  closely  identified  with  the  development 
and  progress  of  Jefferson  county  and  influential  in  various  lines  of 
thought  and  activity.  Several  of  its  members  have  risen  to  high 
positions  in  professional  and  political  circles,  but  to  the  subject  is 
due  the  credit  of  adding  to  the  prestige  of  the  name  and  to  the 
brightness  of  an  escutcheon  which  shines  with  peculiar  luster  in  a 
community  long  noted  for  the  high  standing  and  distinguished 
achievements  of  its  public  and  professional  men. 

Norman  H.  Moss  is  a  native  of  Jefferson  county,  born  four 
and  a  half  miles  southwest  of  Mount  Vernon  in  McClellan  town- 
ship, on  the  25th  day  of  March,  1856.  He  comes  of  a  long  line  of 
sterling  ancestry,  inherits  many  of  the  sturdy  characteristics  for 
which  his  family  has  long  been  distinguished  and  is  a  splendid  type 
of  that  high  order  of  American  manhood  and  citizenship  which  have 
contributed  so  much  to  the  progress  of  the  country  and  solidity  and 
popularity  of  its  institutions.  Capt.  John  Riley  Moss,  his  father,  of 
whom  a  sketch  appears  elsewhere,  was  a  pioneer  of  Jefferson  county, 
a  farmer  by  occupation  and  one  of  the  leading  men  of  his  day  in 
this  part  of  Illinois.  Permelia  C.  Allen,  wife  of  Captain  Moss  and 
mother  of  the  subject  was  born  in  this  county,  November  23,  1835, 
and  died  on  March  1 6th,  of  the  year  1 908.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  Rev.  George  W.  and  Eliza  Allen,  the  father  a  pioneer  minister 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  347 

of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  for  a  number  of  years  a 
prominent  farmer  and  pubhc-spirited  man  of  affairs,  who  held 
various  official  positions  and  achieved  an  honorable  reputation  for 
his  activity  and  influence  in  promoting  the  interests  of  the  community. 
Mrs.  Moss  was  early  instructed  in  the  tenets  of  Methodism  and  from 
her  childhood  lived  the  life  of  an  earnest  and  sincere  Christian,  tak- 
ing especial  delight  in  assisting  the  needy,  and  leading  souls  to  the 
better  life.  For  about  two  years  prior  to  her  death  she  was  totally 
blind,  despite  which  heavy  affliction,  however,  she  continued  to  be 
bright  and  cheerful  and  contributed  to  the  enjoyment  and  happiness 
of  all  who  came  within  the  range  of  her  influence.  Hers  was  indeed 
a  grand  and  beautiful  poem  of  duty  faithfully  and  cheerfully  per- 
formed and  her  descendants  mention  her  name  with  something  of 
the  profound  love  and  respect  which  the  pious  pilgrim  feels  in  the 
presence  of  some  sacred  shrine. 

Norman  H.  Moss  is  the  second  of  a  family  of  six  children,  the 
names  of  his  brothers  and  sisters  being  as  follows:  Angus  I.,  of  Shiloh 
township;  Mrs.  E.  W.  Neal,  of  Knoxville,  Tennessee;  Dr.  Harry  C. 
Moss,  a  practicing  physician,  of  Albion,  Illinois;  Mrs.  Rufus  Grant, 
of  Mount  Vernon,  and  Addie  May,  deceased,  who  married  Dr. 
John  T.  McAnally,  of  Carbondale,  this  state.  Of  the  early  life 
of  the  subject  little  need  be  said  as  it  was  devoid  of  incident  or  ex- 
perience of  striking  nature,  having  been  spent  on  the  farm^  where 
in  close  touch  with  nature,  in  a  daily  routine  of  duty,  he  acquired 
the  bodily  strength  and  independence  of  mind  which  subsequently 
developed  into  well  rounded  manhood  and  enabled  him  to  success- 
fully grapple  the  problems  by  which  he  was  confronted  from  time  to 
time.  His  preliminary  education  acquired  in  the  district  schools  was 
supplemented  by  a  course  in  the  Illinois  Agricultural  College  at  Ir- 
vington.  He  subsequently  entered  the  Southern  Illinois  Normal 
School  at  Carbondale,  where  he  made  commendable  progress  in  the 


348  wall's  history  6F  JEFFERSON  CO..  ILL. 

higher  branches  of  learning.  On  leaving  the  above  institution  young 
Moss  turned  his  attention  to  teaching  during  the  winter  of  1 879-80 
at  Toney  Point,  and  the  following  year  taught  the  first  term  in  what 
is  known  as  the  Arlington  School,  Moore's  Prairie  township,  Jef- 
ferson county,  Illinois,  meeting  with  encouraging  success  as  an  in- 
structor, but  using  the  work  as  a  stepping  stone  to  something  better 
and  more  permanent. 

Having  early  manifested  a  decided  preference  for  the  law,  a 
profession  for  which  a  naturally  strong  and  analytical  mind  pecu- 
liarly fitted  him,  Mr.  Moss  in  1 880  entered  the  office  of  Hon.  Seth 
F.  Crews  and  George  M.  Haynes,  a  well  known  and  successful 
legal  firm  of  Mount  Vernon,  where  he  prosecuted  his  studies  with 
such  diligence  and  satisfaction  that  on  May  5,  1882,  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  and  at  once  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  at 
the  county  seat.  Without  entering  into  a  detailed  review  of  Mr. 
Moss's  legal  career,  suffice  it  to  say  that  from  the  beginning  his  prog- 
ress was  not  only  commendable  but  rapid,  and  it  was  not  long  until 
he  forged  to  the  front  rank  among  the  rising  attorneys  of  the  Jef- 
ferson County  Bar  and  won  his  full  share  of  professional  patronage. 
His  was  the  standard  by  which  younger  lawyers  seek  to  be  meas- 
ured in  the  field  of  legal  learning,  eloquence,  general  attainments  and 
industry  which  hestitated  at  no  obstacles  however  numerous  and 
formidable,  and  a  faithfulness  to  the  cause  of  clients  which  inva- 
riably gained  their  confidence  and  paved  the  way  to  higher  achieve- 
ments and  success. 

Mr.  Moss  possesses  a  peculiar  charm  of  voice  and  manner 
which  render  him  especially  strong  as  an  advocate ;  but  he  is  no  less 
distinguished  as  a  counsellor,  his  familiary  with  the  science  and 
principles  of  law,  his  independent  character  of  mind,  his  quick  per- 
ception and  sound  judgment  and  above  all  his  well  known  integrity, 
eminently  qualify  him  to  act  the  part  of  a  discreet  and  trusted  ad- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  349 

viser.  It  is  a  combination  of  these  and  other  equally  as  strong  quali- 
ties which  has  secured  to  him  the  respect  and  esteem  of  the  bar  and 
the  confidence  and  commendation  of  the  public. 

In  1884  Mr.  Moss  without  any  solicitation  on  his  part,  was  ap- 
pointed State's  Attorney  to  fill  out  the  unexpired  term  of  Hon.  W. 
N.  White  and  so  ably  and  satisfactory  were  his  official  functions  dis- 
charged that  at  the  expiration  of  the  term  he  was  the  unanimous  choice 
of  his  party  for  the  office  but  failed  of  election  by  reason  of  the  over- 
whelming strength  of  the  opposition.  Politically  he  is  a  stalwart  Re- 
publican, and  for  a  number  of  years  has  been  one  of  the  leading 
factors  of  his  party  in  Jefferson  county,  besides  taking,  since  1 889, 
an  active  and  influential  part  in  state  politics  and  assisting  very  ma- 
terially in  the  various  victories  gained  in  the  meantime.  He  has  long 
been  recognized  as  one  of  the  ablest  and  most  judicious  politicians 
in  Southern  Illinois  and  in  campaign  years  his  services  are  in  great 
demand,  his  judgment,  foresight  and  ability  as  an  organizer  being 
especially  appreciated  in  party  counsels.  On  various  occasions  he 
has  been  honored  by  nomination  for  important  official  positions,  the 
first  time  in  1 884  for  State's  Attorney,  as  already  indicated,  in  1 886 
for  County  Judge  and  again  in  1888  for  State's  Attorney.  Al- 
though unsuccessful  in  these  different  contests,  he  carried  much  more 
than  the  strength  of  his  ticket  and  succeeded  in  reducing  the  normal 
Democratic  majority  to  the  lowest  minimum  in  the  history  of  the 
county. 

From  1 890  to  1 892  inclusive  Mr.  Moss  served  as  secretary  of 
the  Republican  committee  of  the  old  Nineteenth  Congressional  Dis- 
trict, and  in  the  latter  year  was  nominated  by  acclamation  for  Con- 
gress, but  as  usual  in  the  district  lead  a  forlorn  hope,  though  making 
a  brilliant  canvass  and  causing  wide  spread  uneasiness  in  the  ranks 
of  the  enemy.  In  1890  he  was  appointed  under  President  Harri- 
son's administration  Supervisor  of  census  for  the  Eighth  District, 


350  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

comprising  twenty  counties,  and  discharged  the  duties  of  the  posi- 
tion with  his  accustomed  care  and  abihty,  winning  the  approbration 
of  his  superiors  and  favorable  comments  from  the  head  of  the  de- 
partment. In  1893  he  was  elected  City  Attorney  of  Mount  Ver- 
non, which  office  he  filled  with  credit  to  himself  and  to  the  entire 
satisfaction  of  the  public  for  a  period  of  two  years  and  in  1 898  he 
was  further  honored  by  being  elected  from  the  Forty-sixth  District, 
composed  of  Jefferson,  Wayne,  Franklin  and  Hamilton  counties,  to 
the  lower  house  of  the  General  Assembly. 

Mr.  Moss  proved  an  able  and  judicious  legislator  and  was 
recognized  as  one  of  the  strong  and  influential  members  of  the  House 
during  his  incumbency.  He  at  once  became  one  of  the  Republican 
leaders  of  that  body  and  in  addition  to  serving  on  a  number  of  im- 
portant committees  took  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  general  delibera- 
tions, displaying  marked  ability  as  a  debater  and  as  a  member  of 
the  "Steering  Committee,"  which  virtually  determined  the  course  of 
the  majority,  he  impressed  his  personality  upon  his  associates  and 
took  the  initiative  in  a  number  of  important  preceedings.  He  ren- 
dered especially  valuable  service  on  the  judiciary,  corporations,  elec- 
tions and  claims  committees,  where  his  influence  was  duly  recognized 
and  appreciated,  also  succeeding  in  passing  a  number  of  bills  of  vital 
interest  to  the  people  of  the  state  and  was  untiring  in  his  efforts  to 
promote  the  interests  of  his  constituents,  the  majority  of  whom  irre- 
spective of  party  allignment  reposited  the  utmost  confidence  in  his 
ability  and  judgment  and  expressed  themselves  as  fully  satisfied  with 
his  course.  Additional  to  the  various  official  positions  indicated  Mr. 
Moss  from  time  to  time  has  been  called  to  other  places  of  responsi- 
bility and  trust,  all  of  which  he  worthily  filled  and  added  to  his  repu- 
tation as  a  capable  and  painstaking  public  servant.  In  1 889  he  was 
commissioned  Special  Bank  Examiner  to  investigate  the  affairs  of 
the  first  National  Bank,  of  Arkansas  City,  Kansas,  and  later  was 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  351 

appointed  by  Hon.  Charles  G.  Dawes,  Comptroller  of  the  Cur- 
rency, receiver  of  the  same  institution,  also  of  the  First  National 
Bank,  of  McPherson,  Kansas,  legal  and  financial  ability  of  a  high 
order  being  required  in  both  instances.  Suffice  it  to  state  that  in 
these  important  and  responsible  trusts,  his  course  was  eminently 
satisfactory  to  the  authorities  and  creditable  to  himself. 

Mr.  Moss  in  August,  1903,  was  appointed  by  Governor  Yates, 
chief  clerk  of  the  Southern  Illinois  Penitentiary,  and  after  holding 
the  position  until  1905  was  appointed  Parole  Commissioner  of  the 
same  institution,  which  place  he  still  holds. 

He  is  an  honorary  member  of  the  Cook  County  Republican 
Marching  Club  of  Chicago  and  for  a  number  of  years  has  served 
on  the  Republican  Central  Committee  of  Jefferson  county,  and  for 
four  years  (last  past)  was  a  member  of  and  chairman  of  the  Con- 
gressional Committee  of  the  Twenty-third  Congressional  District. 
He  IS  also  an  enthusiastic  member  of  the  Sons  of  Veterans,  in 
which  organization  he  has  held  various  official  positions  including 
that  of  Judge  Advocate  of  the  Illinois  Division  and  delegate  to  both 
State  and  national  encampment  of  the  order.  At  the  present  time 
his  membership  is  with  Camp  No.  1 00,  Chicago,  but  his  interest  in 
the  organization  has  made  his  name  a  familiar  sound  throughout  the 
bounds  and  he  appears  as  much  at  home  in  one  camp  as  another. 
.  Mr.  Moss  is  a  charter  member  of  Camp  1919,  Modern  Wood- 
men, of  Mount  Vernon  and  also  belongs  to  Jefferson  Lodge,  No. 
121,  Knights  of  Pythias,  in  which  he  has  passed  all  chairs  besides 
taking  the  grand  lodge  degree,  and  attaining  a  prominent  position 
in  the  higher  work  of  the  order.  In  addition  to  the  above  fraternal 
societies  he  is  a  Mason  of  exalted  rank,  holding  membership  with 
Mount  Vernon  Lodge,  No.  31,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Ma- 
sons, H.  W.  Hubbard  Chapter  No.  160,  Royal  Arch  Masons  and 
Patton  Commandery  No.  69,  all  at  Mount  Vernon,  Illinois. 


352  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

By  reference  to  the  foregoing  review,  the  life  of  Mr.  Moss 
appears  to  have  been  a  very  strenuous  one,  filled  to  repletion  with 
duty  ably  and  faithfully  performed  and  characterized  throughout 
by  a  devotion  to  principle,  above  reproach  and  a  sense  of  honor 
defying  adverse  criticism.  He  has  a  capacity  for  large  undertakings 
and  his  professional  success,  political  activity  and  influence  and  offi- 
cial integrity,  have  not  only  commended  him  to  the  people  of  his  own 
county  and  state,  but  have  given  him  a  reputation  much  more  than 
state  wide  and  an  honorable  name  among  the  leading  men  of  his 
day. 

Mr.  Moss  is  a  man  of  fine  sensibilities  and  a  high  sense  of  jus- 
tice and  honor,  and  it  has  ever  been  his  aim  to  be  on  the  right  side 
of  every  question  with  which  he  has  had  anything  to  do  and  to  lose 
sight  of  self  or  selfish  interests  in  the  noble  endeavor  of  striving  for 
the  greater  good  of  the  greater  number. 

Broad-minded,  public-spirited,  fervidly  patriotic  and  taking 
liberal  views  of  men  and  affairs  he  has  impressed  his  individuality 
upon  the  community  as  an  enterprising  large-hearted,  progressive 
American  citizen  of  the  best  type,  while  among  his  immediate  friends 
and  neighbors,  he  will  always  be  regarded  as  a  man  without  pre- 
tense and  a  courteous  gentleman  whose  integrity  and  loyalty  will 
bear  the  closest  and  strictest  scrutiny. 

An  interesting  chapter  in  this  history  of  Mr.  Moss  is  his  happy 
domestic  life  which  dates  from  September  4,  1889,  when  he  was 
united  in  the  bonds  of  wedlock  with  Miss  Mary  McAnally,  whose 
birth  occurred  at  Decaturville,  Tennessee,  on  the  I  I  th  day  of  Sep- 
tember, 1 860,  but  who  at  the  time  of  her  marriage  was  living  in  the 
city  of  Carbondale.  Mrs.  Moss  is  the  daughter  of  John  F.  and 
Martha  E.  (Haley)  McAnally,  natives  respectively  of  North  Car- 
olina and  Tennessee,  and  has  borne  her  husband  three  children, 
whose  names  and  dates  of  birth  are  as  follows :  Robert  Allyn,  April 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  353 

6,  1893;  Norman  McAnally,  August  12,  1895;  and  Eugenia,  who 
first  saw  the  light  of  day  November  1,  1897.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moss 
have  a  commodious  and  pleasant  home  in  Mount  Vernon,  where  all 
their  children  were  bom,  and  in  ntany  respects  their  family  circle  ap- 
proaches the  ideal.  No  efforts  are  being  spared  to  rear  the  sons  and 
daughter  to  useful  and  honorable  lives,  and  if  the  example  of  their 
parents  and  the  pleasing  environment  of  the  home  have  the  usual 
mfluence  it  is  eminently  proper  to  predict  for  these  young  people  a 
bright  and  hopeful  future.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moss  are  members  of  the 
First  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Mount  Vernon  and  manifest 
a  deep  and  abidmg  mterest  in  all  good  work  under  the  auspices  of 
the  same.  Mr.  Moss  has  been  a  member  of  the  official  board  of  the 
church  for  a  number  of  years  and  displays  the  same  interest  in  the 
affairs  of  the  congregation  as  he  does  in  his  secular  enterprises. 


J.  T.  TURNER. 

America  is  known  as  the  land  of  the  free  and  the  home  of  the 
brave.  It  is  the  land  of  opportunity,  not  for  the  chosen  few,  but  for 
all.  It  is  this  that  has  endeared  it  to  the  hearts  of  its  people,  and  has 
developed  on  this  continent  a  country  that  is  the  marvel  of  the  world. 
Although  the  demagogue  charges  that  wealth  rules,  yet  no  fact  is 
more  evident  than  the  one  that  merit  wms  recognition  above  every- 
thing else.  The  man  that  lays  hold  of  opportunity  and  makes  for 
himself  a  peace  in  society  is  readily  respected,  regardless  of  birth, 
station  in  life,  or  ancestry.  A  glance  over  the  pages  of  our  history 
reveals  a  host  of  examples  of  this  type  of  men,  and  in  the  industries 
and  the  commoner  walks  of  life  we  find  the  places  of  responsibility 
occupied  by  men  who  have  "made  good,"  as  we  say,  in  the  posi- 
tions that  have  been  thrown  open  to  them. 
23 


354  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

This  is  pre-eminently  the  home  of  the  "self-made  man"  and  a 
striking  exam.ple  is  found  in  the  person  of  J.  T.  Turner,  manager  of 
the  Central  Union  Telephone  Company,  of  Mount  Vernon,  Illinois. 

Mr.  Turner  was  born  at  Lebanon,  Laclede  county,  Missouri, 
on  April  18,  1878.  His  father,  \V.  R.  Turner,  was  a  native  of 
Bowling,  Green,  Kentucky,  and  is  now  living  on  his  farm  in  Macon 
county,  Illinois.  Our  subject's  grandfather  was  a  native  of  Ken- 
tucky also,  and  left  that  state  for  the  West,  starting  overland  with  a 
team  of  oxen.  He  reached  Missouri  and  there  g&ve  up  the  trip, 
settling  upon  a  farm  where  he  ended  his  days.  Mr.  Turner's 
mother,  Celia  (Barker)  Turner,  was  born  in  Arkansas,  and  passed 
to  her  reward  at  Bolivar,  Polk  county,  Missouri,  August  8,  1905. 
She  was  the  mother  of  six  children,  all  of  whom  survive.  They  are: 
Mrs.  Ida  Browning,  of  Bolivar,  Missouri;  Berry  E.,  of  Macon,  Ill- 
inois; Mrs.  Roxie  Henderson,  of  Topeka,  Kansas;  J.  T.,  our  sub- 
ject; Mrs.  Maud  Schaumleffle,  of  Belleville,  Illinois;  and  Joseph 
A.,  of  Denver,  Colorado. 

Mr.  Turner  lived  with  his  parents  until  he  was  thirteen  years 
old,  and  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  near  Lebanon, 
Missouri,  in  the  vicinity  of  which  was  located  the  parental  home. 
He  was  a  boy  of  steady  habits  and  of  industrious  turn  of  mind,  and 
these  characteristics  have  enabled  him  to  forge  forward  in  spite  of 
difficulties  and  discouragements.  From  1891  to  1893  he  worked 
at  farming  in  Polk  county,  Missouri,  and  during  the  next  two  years 
was  similarly  employed  in  Henry  county,  same  state.  In  the  fall 
of  1895  he  came  to  Illinois,  locating  at  Wanensburg,  in  Macon 
county,  and  continued  at  farm  work  there  until  1 897. 

In  the  spring  of  1898  he  concluded  to  abandon  farming  for  a 
while,  and  accordingly  went  into  the  employ  of  the  Wanensburg 
Telephone  Company.  He  felt  a  keen  interest  in  this  line  of  work, 
and  readily  adapted  himself  to  the  necessities  that  confronted  him. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  355 

He  retained  his  connection  with  this  company  for  three  years,  and 
then  became  engaged  in  construction  work  for  the  Central  Union 
Company  at  Decatur,  Illinois.  After  about  one  year's  employment 
at  this  location,  he  was  transferred  to  Taylorville,  Illinois,  and  con- 
tinued there  until  April,  1 903,  at  which  time  he  resigned  and  came 
on  a  visit  to  his  home  at  Mount  Vernon.  While  here  he  was  of- 
fered the  position  of  inspector  of  the  Southern  Illinois  Telephone 
Company,  which  offer  he  accepted.  A  few  months  later  his  meri- 
torious work  attracted  the  attention  of  the  directors  of  the  Citizens 
Gas,  Electric  &  Heating  Company,  of  Mount  Vernon,  and  he  was 
tendered  the  position  of  foreman  of  their  construction  work.  This 
he  accepted,  and  held  until  March,  1904,  when  he  took  the  in- 
spectorship of  the  Central  Union  toll  line  at  Taylorville, 
from  which  appointment  he  was  later  transferred  to  Effingham,  Illi- 
nois, and  given  the  management  of  that  office.  In  1906  he  was 
made  manager  of  the  Central  Union  office  of  Mount  Vernon,  which 
office  he  is  filling  at  the  present  time.  Through  all  these  years  he 
has  advanced  steadily  and  has  won  for  himself  recognition  and  pro- 
motion through  efficiency  and  strict  attention  to  business. 

On  May  10,  1903,  Mr.  Turner  was  married  to  Miss  Bessie 
Bradford,  who  was  then  chief  operator  in  the  Mount  Vernon  office. 
She  is  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  M.  Bradford,  both  highly 
respected  residents  of  the  county.  This  union  has  been  blessed  with 
one  child,  Clara  Louise,  who  was  born  September  2,  1905. 

Mr.  Turner  is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  and  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  filling  the  office  of  Chancellor  Commander  in 
the  latter  order.  He  is  well  known  in  the  community  and  allies 
himself  with  the  progressive  element,  assisting  materially  in  promot- 
ing the  advancement  and  welfare  of  the  city. 


356  wall's  history  of  jefferson  cc,  ill. 

JAMES  C.  MAXEY. 

The  family  is  the  first  institution  and  lies  at  the  base  of  every- 
thing that  is  good  in  society  and  it  is  well  to  study  the  history  of  our 
family  and  try  to  improve  wherein  our  ancestors  may  have  done 
amiss  in  the  past,  or  at  least  maintain  the  record  of  sobriety,  pa- 
triotism and  honor  handed  down  to  us.  It  ought  to  be  an  inspiration 
to  every  one  to  know  he  has  descended  from  a  long  line  of  upright, 
intelligent  men  and  women.  Vicious  indeed  is  the  one  who  would 
bring  reproach  intentionally  upon  a  name  that  has  been  maintained 
in  honor  for  many  generations,  and  it  is  always  a  great  pleasure  for 
an  individual  to  know  the  origin  and  beginning  of  his  house  and  sur- 
name, and  how  long  it  has  stood,  with  good  actions  and  virtue  of  his 
predecessors.  No  family  in  Southern  Illinois  has  a  longer  line  of 
traceable  ancestors,  worthier  to  be  honored  and  more  sterling  in  char- 
acteristics than  the  Maxey  family,  which  name  has  existed  in  Amer- 
ica for  nearly  three  centuries,  and  which  is  the  oldest  and  best  known 
in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  therefore  it  is  with  no  little  pleasure  that 
the  biographer  herein  sets  forth  the  record,  in  brief  outline  of  the 
Maxey  family,  of  which  the  subject  is  an  honored  representative. 

James  C.  Maxey  was  born  in  Shiloh  township,  Jefferson  coun- 
ty, June  14,  1827,  and  he  enjoys  the  distinction  of  being  the  oldest 
living  native  born  citizen  of  this  county,  the  son  of  Burchett  Maxey 
and  the  grandson  of  William  Maxey.  Jesse  Maxey  was  the  sub- 
ject's great-grandfather.  He  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Ten- 
nessee, and  in  a  fight  with  the  Indians  near  Gallatin  he  was  shot 
and  scalped  by  an  Indian  and  left  on  the  field  for  dead,  but  revived 
and  lived  for  twenty  years.  He  was  the  son  of  Edward  Maxey, 
whose  father  was  Walter  Maxey,  the  first  of  this  distinguished  fam- 
ily to  emigrate  from  Wales,  where  it  originated.  This  was  about 
the  year  1  725  when  Walter  Maxey  crossed  the  Atlantic  ocean  in 


JAMES   C.    MAXEY. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO..  ILL.  357 

an  old  time  sailing  vessel  that  required  weeks  to  make  the  passage  to 
America.  He  settled  in  Maryland  and  ever  since  the  name  has  been 
prominent  in  various  states,  his  descendants  having  settled  in  Vir- 
ginia, then  removed  to  Sumner  county,  Tennessee,  later  came  to 
Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  one  of  these  being  Burchett  Maxey,  father 
of  the  subject  of  this  review,  who  was  one  of  the  earliest  of  the  pio- 
neers in  this  county,  having  set  about  the  establishment  of  a  new 
home  in  the  wilderness  for  his  wife  and  two  children,  having  for 
neighbors  red  men  and  wild  beasts,  but  he  was  of  heroic  mould  and 
nothing  daunted  him,  consequently  he  laid  a  sure  foundation  for 
succeeding  generations  in  this  locality.  It  was  in  the  year  1818 
that  Burchett  Maxey  brought  his  good  wife  and  two  children,  Eliza 
and  Perigan,  overland  from  Sumner  county,  Tennessee,  the  young- 
est child,  Perigan,  being  about  one  year  old,  died  soon  after  they 
reached  Moore's  Prairie,  where  it  was  buried,  having  been  the  first 
white  person  buried  in  Jefferson  county.  It  was  in  the  springtime 
that  this  long  and  arduous  trip  was  made  through  an  unfrequented 
country,  over  almost  impassable  roads  and  across  dangerous  streams, 
consequently  the  hardships  of  the  undertaking  is  apparent.  The 
family  soon  afterward  settled  near  the  present  city  of  Mount  Ver- 
non and  in  1823  Mr.  Maxey  built  a  log  house  on  the  site  now  occu- 
pied by  the  Third  National  Bank.  Additions  were  later  added 
and  the  house  stood  where  it  was  originally  built  until  about  1902, 
when  the  old  buildings  were  wrecked  to  make  way  for  the  new 
building  of  the  Third  National  Bank.  This  was  the  first  building 
erected  on  what  is  now  the  public  square  of  Mount  Vernon.  Burchett 
Maxey  also  built  the  first  jail  in  Jefferson  county,  having  been  the 
lowest  bidder  when  the  county  authorities  asked  for  bids  on  the  first 
bastile.  It  was  built  of  logs  and  cost  three  hundred  and  twenty  dol- 
lars, having  stood  near  the  site  of  the  present  jail.  Mr.  Maxey  was 
a  prominent  character  in  the  early  days  of  Jefferson  county  and  took 


358  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

an  active  part  in  the  affairs  of  the  same,  playing  well  his  part  in  its 
organization  and  subsequent  development. 

James  C.  Maxey,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  received  his  early 
educational  training  in  the  log  school-houses  of  the  pioneer  days  in 
Jefferson  county,  one  of  the  schools  which  he  attended  having  been 
taught  by  Henry  G.  Hook  near  Walnut  Hill,  which  school  the  fa- 
ther and  mother  of  the  honorable  William  J.  Bryan  also  attended. 
This  was  about  the  year  1837.  Reared  amid  such  rural  environ- 
ments it  is  not  strange  that  our  subject  should  early  turn  his  attention 
to  farming  and  stock  raising,  making  these  his  life  work  and,  useless 
to  add  that  he  has  been  eminently  successful,  establishing  an  excel- 
lent home  and  laying  by  a  competency  for  his  declining  years. 

James  C.  Maxey's  happy  domestic  life  dates  from  October  3 1 , 
1850,  when  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Nancy  J.  Moss,  who 
was  also  a  descendant  on  the  maternal  side  of  an  influential  pioneer 
family,  Lewis  Johnson.  Her  father.  Ransom  Moss,  settled  near 
Shiloh  church  in  an  early  day  and  when  his  first  wife  died  old  Shiloh 
cemetery  was  laid  out  and  she  was  the  first  person  buried  there. 

Eight  children  were  born  to  the  subject  and  wife,  namely :  John 
R.,  deceased;  Walter  S.,  who  is  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Rackaway 
&  Maxey;  Oliver  W.,  deceased;  Oscar  S.  and  Albion  F.,  both  suc- 
cessful farmers  of  Mount  Vernon  township ;  James  Henry,  agent  of 
the  Standard  Oil  Company  and  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the 
Mount  Veronon  Ice  &  Storage  Company;  Lillie,  who  is  the  wife 
of  I.  F.  Sugg,  a  merchant  of  Kinmundy,  Illinois;  Moss,  a  physician 
and  surgeon  of  Mount  Vernon,  Illinois. 

Our  subject  was  one  of  the  loyal  defenders  of  the  national 
government  during  the  days  of  the  rebellion,  having  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany I,  Fifty-eighth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  performing  well 
his  duty  at  all  times  and  was  honorably  discharged  at  the  close  of 
the  war. 

Mr.  Maxey  has  never  aspired  to  positions  of  public  trust,  al- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  359 

though  he  has  been  called  upon  to  serve  in  various  responsible  pub- 
lic offices.  He  has  been  school  trustee  of  Shiloh  township;  also 
Supervisor  of  Moore's  Prairie  township  for  two  years  and  also  was 
Supervisor  of  Mount  Vernon  township  for  a  period  of  four  years. 
By  strict  economy  as  Supervisor,  and  by  encouraging  paupers  to  at 
least  partially  support  themselves  he  cut  down  the  expenses  of  the 
township  about  one  half,  and  it  was  due  to  his  untiring  efforts  and 
good  management  that  he  succeeded  in  inducing  the  County  Board 
of  Supervisors  to  vote  with  him  in  a  decision  to  build  the  four  splen- 
did granitoid  walks  leading  from  each  door  of  the  court-house,  con- 
necting with  the  curbing  around  the  court-house  square.  He  has  al- 
ways manifested  an  abiding  interest  in  the  development  of  his  coun- 
ty and  township  and  his  support  could  always  be  depended  upon  in 
furthering  any  movement  looking  to  the  betterment  of  the  public  in 
general. 

Mr.  Maxey  and  his  faithful  life  companion  are  now  living  at 
their  pleasant  and  cozy  home  on  Taylor  avenue,  both  enjoying 
splendid  health  and  a  well  earned  respite  from  very  active  and  use- 
ful lives,  the  subject  being  now  (1909)  in  his  eighty-second  year 
and  Mrs.  Maxey  in  her  seventy-sixth  year,  having  rounded  out  fifty- 
eight  years  of  harmonious  and  blissful  married  life.  They  have  the 
undivided  respect  and  admiration  of  a  wide  circle  of  friends  who 
know  them  only  as  ever  honest,  kindly  and  gentle. 


CAPT.  SAMUEL  THOMPSON  MAXEY. 

The  career  of  the  well  known  gentleman  whose  name  appears 
above  has  been  a  strenuous  and  varied  one,  the  distinction  which  he 
has  attained  in  different  spheres  of  activity  entitle  him  to  honorable 


360  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

mention  among  the  leading  men  and  representative  citizens  of  the 
county  with  which  his  Hfe  has  been  so  closely  identified.  The  name 
of  Maxey  has  been  prominent  in  the  annals  of  Jefferson  county  ever 
since  this  part  of  the  state  was  opened  for  settlement,  and  to  the  sub- 
ject's grandfather  belongs  the  credit  of  having  been  one  of  the  first 
white  men  to  introduce  civilization  into  what  is  now  one  of  the  most 
progressive  and  enlightened  sections  of  the  state.  The  Maxey  fam- 
ily was  among  the  early  settlers  of  Virginia,  in  colonial  times  and 
shortly  after  the  Revolutionary  period  one,  Jesse  Maxey.  a  native 
of  that  state,  moved  to  Tennessee,  locating  near  the  present  site  of 
Gallatin,  where  he  took  refuge  in  a  fort  for  fear  of  the  Indians.  Hav- 
ing left  the  block-house  in  search  of  his  horse,  he  was  attacked  by 
the  savages  a  short  time  afterwards,  and  was  shot,  scalped  and  had 
his  throat  cut,  but  through  the  interposition  of  a  renegade  white  man 
by  the  name  of  Fenton,  his  skull  was  not  cleft,  the  man  detecting 
signs  of  life  which  had  escaped  the  eyes  of  the  "Indians.  The  firing 
of  guns  brought  immediate  assistance  from  the  fort  and  although 
left  for  dead,  he  subsequently  recovered  and  survived  the  massacre 
for  a  period  of  fifteen  to  twenty  years,  during  all  of  which  time  he 
suffered  continuously  from  the  wound  in  his  throat  which  refused  to 
heal.  Instead  of  making  him  fear  the  red  skins  this  fearful  expe- 
rience seemed  to  exasperate  him  to  such  an  extent  that  from  that  time 
onward  he  never  ceased  in  his  attempts  to  rid  the  country  of  the 
savages,  taking  part  in  a  number  of  movements  against  them  and  dis- 
playing unusual  boldness  and  ferocity  in  fight.  This  brave  and  in- 
trepid pioneer  died  many  years  ago  but  left  to  perpetuate  his  name 
a  number  of  descendants  in  whom  were  reproduced  the  bravery  and 
sterling  worth  which  made  him  known  and  respected  among  his 
contemporaries.  One  of  his  sons,  the  grandfather  of  the  subject,  a 
native  of  Virginia,  was  a  young  man  when  the  family  migrated  to 
Tennessee.     He  later  became  a  successful  farmer  and  large  slave- 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  361 

holder.  After  some  years  he  was  converted  and  joined  the  Metho- 
dist church,  following  which  he  studied  the  question  of  human  ser- 
vitude in  all  of  its  phases  until  he  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the 
system  was  antagnostic  to  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel  and  that  he  could 
not  maintain  his  Christian  character  while  holding  another  in  bond- 
age. In  due  time  therefore  he  emancipated  all  of  his  slaves  except 
one  negro  girl  and  became  one  of  the  active  and  influential  abolition- 
ists of  his  part  of  the  country.  The  unpleasant  relations  with  his 
neighbors  to  which  this  radical  change  gave  rise  together  with  a  de- 
sire to  escape  the  presence  of  slavery  led  him  as  early  as  1818  to 
move  to  Illinois.  In  May  of  that  year  he  arrived  in  what  was  then 
Franklin  county,  now  the  county  of  Jefferson,  and  as  stated  in  a  pre- 
ceding paragraph  he  was  one  of  the  original  pioneers  of  this  part  of 
the  state  and  for  a  number  of  years  one  of  the  leading  men  of  the 
community  in  which  he  lived.  After  entering  land  and  founding  a 
home  he  freed  and  educated  the  negro  girl  whom  he  brought  with 
him,  in  addition  to  which  he  also  began  teaching  the  doctrines  of 
abolitionism  among  the  settlers  and  in  due  time  was  largely  instru- 
mental in  arousing  a  sentiment  against  slavery  and  keeping  the  coun- 
ty free  from  its  blighting  presence  and  influence. 

Mr.  Maxey  built  the  first  mill  in  Jefferson  county,  a  small  prim- 
itive affair  which  was  operated  by  horse  power,  but  which  was  high- 
ly prized  by  the  settlers,  who,  prior  to  its  construction,  were  obliged 
to  go  to  Carmi,  fifty  miles  distant,  for  their  breadstuff,  or  make  it  by 
hand  at  home.  Water  was  afterwards  used  as  a  motive  power, 
and  for  many  years  the  mill  manufactured  both  flour  and  lumber, 
and  was  extensively  patronized.  Mr.  Maxey  was  also  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  old  cotton  factory  on  the  Cumberland  river,  near 
Gallatin,  Tennessee,  and  after  becoming  a  resident  of  Illinois,  took 
a  prominent  part  in  developing  the  country  and  introducing  various 
industries,  becoming  a  leader  among  his  fellow  men  and  to  no  small 


362  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

degree  a  moulder  of  opinion  in  matters  of  public  as  well  as  local  in- 
terest. He  lived  a  useful  life  and  was  highly  esteemed  by  the  early 
residents  of  Jefferson  county,  all  of  whom  deplored  his  loss  when 
stricken  by  the  hand  of  death  in  1837,  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight 
years,  his  wife  preceding  him  to  the  grave  by  only  a  few  months. 
He  was  a  contemporary  and  a  neighbor  of  the  great  grandfather  of 
Hon.  William  Jennings  Bryan  and  between  the  two  a  warm  and 
loyal  friendship  was  maintained  as  long  as  they  both  lived.  Seven 
sons  and  three  daughters  constituted  the  family  of  this  sturdy  pio- 
neer, all  of  whom  lived  to  rear  families  of  their  own,  one  son  and 
two  daughters,  being  married  at  the  same  time  by  the  same  cere- 
mony. The  gentleman  who  officiated  at  this  triune  marriage  was 
Zadok  Casey,  afterwards  Governor  of  Illinois,  and  for  a  period  of 
twenty  years  a  member  of  Congress  from  the  district  where  he  lived. 
Bennett  Maxey,  one  his  sons,  was  a  soldier  under  General  Jack- 
son, and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  New  Orleans. 

Another  son  by  the  name  of  William  M.  A.  Maxey  was  born 
in  Tennessee  and  was  six  years  of  age  when  the  family  moved  to 
Illinois  in  1818.  He  was  reared  amid  the  stirring  scenes  of  the  pio- 
neer period  and  when  a  young  man  bought  timber  from  which  he 
split  rails,  at  fifty  cents  per  hundred,  to  pay  for  his  tuition  for  a  few 
months  at  a  subscription  school,  in  which  the  three  fundamentals 
"readin',  writin'  and  'rithmetic,"  constituted  the  course  of  study. 
Despite  this  indifferent  intellectual  discipline,  however,  he  subse- 
quently became  not  only  one  of  the  best  informed  men  of  the  com- 
munity, but  in  due  time  read  medicine  and  for  more  than  forty  years 
was  one  of  the  most  successful  physicians  in  Jefferson  county.  Med- 
ical men  being  few  in  those  days  caused  a  wide  demand  for  his  ser- 
vices, and  it  is  said  that  his  patients  were  scattered  over  three  coun- 
ties. In  waiting  on  them  he  rode  many  hundred  miles  and  was  not 
infrequently  absent  from  home  three  weeks  while  making  his  pro- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  363 

fessional  calls.  He  also  devoted  considerable  attention  to  agricul- 
ture, and  his  farm  now  owned  and  occupied  by  his  son,  the  subject 
of  this  review,  was  one  of  the  best  improved  and  most  productive 
of  the  part  of  the  county  in  which  it  is  situated.  Captain  Maxey 
has  in  his  possession  the  old  pair  of  saddle  bags  in  which  his  father 
carried  medicines  to  treat  all  diseases,  common  to  humanity  in  the 
early  times,  the  leather  being  still  strong  and  the  contents  of  the  bags 
the  same  as  when  he  discontinued  practice,  after  his  long  and  ardu- 
ous service. 

The  maiden  name  of  Mrs.  William  M.  A.  Maxey  was  Edna 
Owen.  She  was  born  in  Silver  Springs,  Sumner  county,  Tennessee, 
but  was  reared  in  Wilson  county,  that  state.  When  a  young  woman 
she  came  to  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  in  1823,  with  her  parents, 
Peter  and  Mary  (Overbey)  Owen,  who  were  born,  reared  and 
married  in  Virginia,  and  carried  all  their  earthly  belongings  across 
the  mountains  on  horseback  to  Tennessee.  Peter  Owen  was  a  sol- 
dier in  the  Revolutionary  war  and  his  hatred  for  a  Tory  was  prover- 
bial during  his  lifetime. 

Capt.  Samuel  Thompson  Maxey  was  born  August  29,  1834, 
in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  and  passed  his  early  life  on  the  family 
homestead,  attending  in  winter  season  the  subscription  schools  in  a 
primitive  log  house  which  had  long  been  used  for  the  purpose.  When 
old  enough  to  be  of  service  he  worked  in  the  woods,  clearing  the 
ground,  cultivating  the  soil,  etc.,  and  during  the  greater  part  of  his 
minority  his  life  consisted  of  a  ceaseless  round  of  labor  which  re- 
sulted in  a  strong  physique  and  the  formation  of  habits  which  had  no 
little  influence  in  developing  a  well  rounded  character  and  directing 
his  thoughts  and  actions  in  proper  channels.  Young  Maxey  re- 
mained with  his  parents  until  the  national  sky  became  overcast  with 
the  ominous  clouds  of  rebellion  when  he  laid  aside  the  implements  of 
husbandry  and  tendered  his  services  to  the  government.     In  June, 


364  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

1861 ,  he  rode  horseback  to  Cairo,  where  he  enlisted  in  Company  H, 
First  Illinois  Cavalry,  and  after  a  brief  period  of  instruction  at  that 
place  accompanied  his  command  in  the  Southeastern  Missouri  and 
the  Southwestern  Kentucky  campaigns,  taking  part  in  the  battle  and 
capture  of  New  Madrid,  Island  No.  10,  Tiptonville,  and  the  cap- 
ture of  Memphis,  reaching  the  latter  city  the  day  after  the  arrival 
of  the  Federal  gun-boats.  In  July,  1862,  his  regiment  reported  at 
Benton  Harbor,  to  be  mustered  out  by  a  general  order  from  the 
War  Department,  after  which  he  returned  home.  Within  three  weeks 
he  assisted  in  organizing  what  subsequently  became  Company  B  of 
the  One  Hundred  Tenth  Infantry,  of  which  he  was  elected  first 
lieutenant.  For  brave  and  meritorious  conduct  at  the  battle  of  Stone 
River,  where  he  rendered  especially  valuable  service,  he  was  pro- 
moted the  following  February,  captain  of  the  company,  although 
suffering  at  the  time  from  a  painful  wound  received  in  the  above  en- 
gagement. Notwithstanding  the  loss  of  an  eye  and  the  lacerating  of 
his  arm  by  the  explosion  of  a  shell.  Captain  Maxey  persisted  in  re- 
maining with  his  men  and  continued  at  his  post  of  duty  until  the  One 
Hundred  Tenth  was  consolidated,  when  by  reason  of  there  being 
more  captains  than  companies  and  he  the  junior  officer  of  that  grade 
he  was  mustered  out  of  the  service.  Returning  home  the  captain 
devoted  three  months  to  provost  duty,  but  in  February.  1864,  re- 
entered the  service  by  enlisting  as  a  private  in  the  Sixth  Illinois  Cav- 
alry, which  he  joined  at  Memphis,  where  he  was  soon  afterwards 
appointed  a  drill  master.  Later  he  was  made  second  lieutenant  of 
Company  H,  and  after  campaigning  through  Mississippi,  Western 
Tennessee  and  Northern  Alabama  he  took  part  in  the  movement  to 
check  the  Confederate  forces  under  General  Hood,  who  were  ad- 
vancing on  Franklin  and  Nashville.  In  the  battle  at  the  former  place 
Captain  Maxey  commanded  the  company  which  brought  on  the  en- 
gagement and  as  in  other  actions  signalized  himself  by  brave  and 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  365 

gallant  conduct  which  won  the  confidence  of  the  men  of  his  com- 
mand, and  the  approbation  of  his  superiors.  After  the  battle  he 
went  to  Nashville,  thence  to  Kentucky,  but  returning  to  that  city  in 
time  to  take  part  in  the  battle,  was  again  sent  with  his  company  to 
the  front  to  draw  the  fire  of  the  enemy  and  bring  on  the  action.  He 
proved  equal  to  the  trying  emergency  and  was  not  only  in  the  thick- 
est of  the  fight  but  captured  the  first  bastian  and  was  the  first  to  cap- 
ture a  battery  and  turn  the  guns  on  the  enemy,  besides  seizing  with 
his  own  hands  the  Confederate  colors  which  he  returned  to  head- 
quarters after  the  fighting  had  ceased.  Captain  Maxey  assisted  in 
the  pursuit  of  the  enemy  to  the  Tennessee  river  and  in  the  taking  of 
many  prisoners,  later  went  to  the  Gravalla  Springs,  Alabama,  where 
he  was  promoted  captain  and  for  a  short  time  commanded  the  regi- 
ment during  its  march  to  Eastport,  Mississippi.  In  the  latter  state 
he  served  for  a  time  in  the  quartermaster's  department,  subsequently 
being  detailed  on  general  court  martial  duty  until  the  following  July 
when  he  marched  over  the  mountains  to  Montgomery,  Alabama, 
thence  to  Demapolis,  in  the  same  state  where  he  was  appointed  pro- 
vost marshal  of  the  post,  which  position  he  held  until  mustered  out 
of  the  service  at  Selma,  Alabama,  on  November  6th  of  the  year 
1865. 

On  the  first  day  of  December  following  Captain  Maxey  ar- 
rived home  and  again  resumed  the  duties  of  citizenship,  which  he  has 
since  discharged  with  the  same  conscientious  convictions  which  char- 
acterized his  long  and  active  career  as  a  brave  and  honorable  de- 
fender of  the  Union.  In  1867  he  entered  the  ministry  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  being  appointed  by  the  presiding  elder  as  a  supply 
in  the  Southern  Illinois  conference.  Two  years  later  he  became  an 
itinerant  and  during  the  thirteen  years  ensuing  served  various  cir- 
cuits and  churches  until  failing  health  obliged  him  to  discontinue 
further  active  work.     At  the  expiration  of  the  period  indicated  he 


366  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

retired  to  his  farm  in  Jefferson  county  where  he  has  since  lived  and 
prospered,  the  meanwhile  devoting  considerable  time  to  his  minis- 
terial labors  and  doing  much  good  in  leading  men  to  the  higher  life. 

Captain  Maxey  has  a  beautiful  and  finely  improved  farm  of 
two  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  with  good  buildings,  his  residence 
being  the  old  family  dwelling  erected  by  his  father  and  so  substan- 
tially constructed  that  it  bids  fair  to  stand  another  half  century,  a 
commodious,  and  to  all  intents  and  purposes  a  comfortable  and  at- 
tractive homestead.  His  other  buildings  are  up-to-date  and  in  ex- 
cellent repair,  and  the  splendid  condition  of  the  farm  and  everything 
thereon  bespeak  the  presence  of  a  man  familiar  with  the  latest  de- 
velopment in  agricultural  science  and  is  abreast  of  the  times  in  all 
that  relates  to  progress  and  improvement.  In  addition  to  general 
farming  the  captain  is  quite  extensively  engaged  in  the  breeding  and 
raising  of  fine  stock  and  is  also  an  enthusiastic  and  successful  horti- 
culturist, as  his  fifty  acres  of  fine  orchard  in  which  the  choicest  vari- 
eties of  all  fruits  grown  in  this  latitude  are  produced.  Believing  in 
the  conservation  of  the  country's  natural  resources,  the  captain  has 
not  been  destructive  of  timber  as  have  many  of  his  neighbors,  hav- 
ing retained  a  valuable  tract  of  woodland  in  which  are  many  fine 
walnuts  and  other  varieties  sufficient  for  all  purposes  for  many  years 
to  come. 

Captain  Maxey's  wife  before  her  marriage  was  Miss  Sarah 
Pearcy,  a  native  of  Jefferson  county,  and  daughter  of  John  B.  and 
Amanda  (Moss)  Pearcy,  who  moved  to  Illinois  a  number  of  years 
ago  from  Tennessee.  Four  daughters  and  one  son  constitute  the 
family  of  this  couple,  namely:  Lena  Maud,  born  July  5,  1881, 
now  the  wife  of  Otto  Fox,  of  this  county;  Edna  A.,  born  Novem- 
ber 26,  1884,  still  a  member  of  the  home  circle;  Mary  B.,  wife  of 
Alva  Swift,  was  born  August  12,  1886;  Harriet  R.  was  born  on 
August  26,  1888,  died  in  infancy,  and  William  Olin  was  born  on 
March  17.  1894. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  367 

Captain  Maxey  is  an  unswerving  Republican  in  his  political 
views  and  at  various  times  has  been  honored  with  local  offices,  being 
at  this  time  official  Surveyor  of  Jefferson  county.  He  has  been  active 
and  influential  in  promoting  an  interest  in  agriculture,  is  a  leader  and 
effective  lecturer  in  Farmer's  Institutes  and  some  years  ago  was  a 
delegate  to  the  Farmer's  Congress  of  the  United  States.  He  is 
closely  identified  with  the  agricultural  interests  of  Illinois  and  is 
frequently  called  to  different  parts  of  the  state  to  address  institutes 
and  other  assemblies  in  behalf  of  the  farmers.  He  has  been  a  con- 
sistent member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  for  fifty 
three  years  and  one  of  the  oldest  Odd  Fellows  in  the  state,  and  has 
filled  all  the  chairs  in  the  local  lodge  with  which  he  is  identified  be- 
sides representing  it  on  a  number  of  occasions  in  the  Grand  Lodge. 
He  is  also  a  leading  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic 
in  which  he  has  held  every  office  within  the  gift  of  the  fraternity  and 
keeps  well  informed  concerning  the  old  soldiers  as  well  as  pro- 
foundly versed  in  the  history  of  the  country  for  the  preservation  of 
which  he  has  devoted  several  years  of  his  life. 


MAURICE  J.  SEED. 


Few  men  in  Jefferson  county  occupy  as  prominent  a  position  in 
political  circles  or  as  large  a  place  in  public  view  as  the  well  known 
editor  and  publisher  whose  brief  biography  is  presented  in  the  fol- 
lowing lines.  The  record  of  a  busy  and  successful  life  must  ever 
prove  of  interest  to  the  student  who  would  learn  the  intrinsic  value 
of  individuality  and  lessons  to  be  derived  from  such  a  career  can- 
not fail  to  have  great  influence  in  shaping  the  character  and  fixing 
the  destiny  of  the  youth  with  an  ambition  to  rise  above  the  common 
level  and  reach  an  honorable  position  among  his  fellow  men. 


368  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

Maurice  J.  Seed,  editor  and  publisher  of  the  Mount  Vernon 
Daily  Register,  and  a  journalist  of  wide  repute  in  central  and  south- 
ern Illinois,  is  descended  on  the  paternal  side  from  an  old  and  emi- 
nently respectable  family  whose  history  is  traceable  through  a  long 
line  of  ancestry  to  the  early  part  of  the  seventeenth  century,  at  which 
time  the  name  was  well  known  in  various  parts  of  England.  In  1 869 
two  brothers,  John  and  William  Seed,  who  espoused  the  cause  of 
William  of  Orange,  enlisted  under  the  standard  of  that  Prince  and 
took  part  in  the  struggle  against  King  James,  participating  in  the 
celebrated  battle  of  the  Boyne  in  Ireland,  where  that  unfortunate 
monarch  was  overthrown  and  at  the  close  of  the  war  settling  in 
County  Down,  where  for  a  period  of  one  hundred  and  forty-eight 
years  their  descendants  have  been  among  the  well  known  and  sturdy 
yeomanry  of  that  land. 

Thomas  H.  Seed,  the  subject's  father,  is  a  native  of  Lawrence 
county,  Illinois,  born  in  the  town  of  Lawrenceville  on  the  1 2th  day 
of  June,  1843.  He  served  during  the  late  Civil  war  as  sergeant  of 
Company  A,  Sixty-third  Illinois  Infantry,  was  with  Grant  at  the 
siege  and  capture  of  Vicksburg  and  subsequently  took  part  in  the 
Atlanta  campaign  under  General  Sherman;  after  the  fall  of  that 
Confederate  stronghold  he  accompanied  his  command  in  the  cele- 
brated march  to  the  sea.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  engaged  in  the 
milling  business  at  Lawrenceville  and  later  at  Bellmont,  Illinois, 
where  he  remained  until  1 889,  when  he  disposed  of  his  interests  in 
that  town  and  purchased  the  Sumner  Press  at  Sumner,  this  state, 
which  he  published  with  encouraging  success  during  the  fourteen 
years  ensuing,  achieving  the  meanwhile  creditable  reputation  as  an 
able  editor  and  judicious  newspaper  man.  Disposing  of  his  pub- 
lishing plant  at  the  expiration  of  the  period  indicated,  Mr.  Seed  in 
1 902  came  to  Mount  Vernon  and  has  held  an  important  position  in 
the  office,  proving  an  able  and  valuable  assistant  and  contributing 
much  to  the  success  of  the  paper,  editorially  and  otherwise. 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  369 

The  maiden  name  of  the  subject's  mother  was  Emma  Pope. 
She  was  born  July  29,  1850,  in  Burlington,  Ohio,  spent  her  youth 
and  received  her  education  in  Ironton,  that  state,  and  later  came 
with  her  parents  to  Flora,  Illinois,  where  she  lived  until  her  mar- 
riage to  Thomas  H.  Seed,  after  which  she  resided  at  Bellmont  and 
Sumner  and  in  1 902  moved  with  her  family  to  Mount  Vernon  where 
she  still  makes  her  home.  Thomas  H.  Seed's  mother,  Sabilla  Ryan, 
came  also  from  an  old  family  whose  antecedents  were  among  the 
early  settlers  of  Virginia  in  which  state  her  grandmother,  who  was 
a  Zane,  was  born.  The  latter's  husband  was  killed  by  the  Indians 
in  a  very  early  day,  the  Zanes  being  among  the  best  known  and  most 
highly  connected  families  of  the  Old  Dominion  state.  Mrs  Seed's 
people  removed  from  Virginia  to  Zanesville,  Ohio,  many  years  ago, 
thence  about  1838  to  Illinois  in  several  counties  of  which  a  number 
of  descendants  still  reside.  Thomas  H.  and  Emma  Seed  are  the 
parents  of  two  children,  Maurice  J.,  whose  name  introduces  this 
sketch  and  Rhoda  Seed,  instructor  of  English  in  the  Mount  Ver- 
non township  high  school,  and  one  of  the  most  accomplished  and 
successful  teachers  of  Jefferson  county.  After  a  preliminary  edu- 
cational training  in  the  common  schools  and  at  Northwestern  Acad- 
emy, Miss  Seed  entered  the  college  department  of  Northwestern 
University  at  Evanston,  Illinois,  where  she  was  graduated  with  the 
class  of  1 906,  since  which  time  she  has  devoted  her  attention  to  edu- 
cational work  and,  as  indicated  above,  now  stands  among  the  lead- 
ing teachers  in  this  part  of  the  state. 

Maurice  J.  Seed  was  born  December  13,  1871,  in  Lawrence- 
ville,  Lawrence  county,  Illinois,  and  spent  his  early  life  in  that  city, 
and  the  town  of  Bellmont,  attending  the  public  schools  in  the  mean- 
time. Endowed  with  strong  mental  powers  and  an  ardent  desire  for 
books  and  study  he  made  rapid  progress  and  in  due  time  completed 
the  common  school  course  and  took  up  the  more  advanced  branches 

24 


370  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co..  ill. 

of  learning.  He  did  the  greater  part  of  his  high  school  work  in  North- 
western Academy  at  Evanston,  and  after  being  graduated  from  that 
institution  in  June,  1 899.  entered  the  college  department  of  North- 
western University  at  the  same  place,  where  he  prosecuted  his  stud- 
ies until  completing  the  full  course  and  receiving  his  degree  in  June, 
1902,  devoting  special  attention  to  English  and  Political  Economy, 
during  his  collegiate  experience  and  receiving  the  N.  W.  Harris 
prize  of  one  hundred  dollars  for  his  thesis  on  the  trust  question.  He 
made  an  exceptionally  creditable  record  for  scholarship,  stood  high 
in  all  of  his  classes  and  in  addition  to  the  above  signal  reward  of 
merit  he  was  also  awarded  Phi  Beta  Kappa  honors,  besides  gaining 
confidence  and  good  will  of  his  fellow  students  and  the  esteem  of 
the  professors  and  officers  of  the  University.  September  following 
his  graduation,  Mr.  Seed  purchased  the  Mount  Vernon  Daily  and 
Weekly  Register,  and  since  1902  he  has  devoted  his  entire  atten- 
tion to  the  interests  of  the  paper,  with  the  result  that  he  now  has  one 
of  the  best  equipped  offices  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state  and  a 
paper  which  compares  favorably  with  the  large  and  more  pretentious 
sheets  of  the  great  metropolitan  centers.  Since  taking  possession  of 
the  Register  it  has  constantly  grown  in  favor,  and  in  addition  to 
being  the  official  Republican  organ  of  Jefferson  county,  it  is  highly 
prized  a  clean  dignified  family  paper,  in  which  nothing  low  or  offen- 
sive is  given  publicity,  being  devoted  to  politics,  home  and  foreign 
news,  education,  choice  literature,  humor,  etc.,  and  at  all  times  it 
has  advocated  public  improvements  and  stood  for  enterprise  and 
progress  in  all  the  terms  imply.  Mr.  Seed  has  demonstrated  marked 
ability  as  an  able  and  forceful  writer,  wielding  a  graceful  as  well  as 
a  keen  and  incisive  pen,  and  in  discussing  the  leading  questions  and 
issues  of  the  day,  proving  a  strong  and  fearless  but  always  a  court- 
eous antagonist.  Although  one  of  the  Republican  standard  bearers 
in  the  county  of  Jefferson  and  rendering  valuable  service  to  his 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO..   ILL.  371 

party  he  conducts  his  paper  in  such  a  way  as  to  win  esteem  of  his 
political  adversaries  and  to  please  the  people.  The  Register  has 
under  his  able  management  proven  financially  successful  and  as  an 
enterprising  broad  minded  man  of  liberal  views  and  progressive  ten- 
dencies he  has  forged  to  the  front  rank  among  his  contemporaries  and 
is  today  considered  one  of  the  ablest  as  well  as  one  of  the  most  popu- 
lar newspaper  men  in  Southern  Illinois. 

Mr.  Seed  has  accomplished  much  for  the  good  of  his  party, 
not  only  through  the  medium  of  his  paper,  but  as  a  successful  or- 
ganizer and  judicious  adviser  in  its  councils,  being  at  this  time  secre- 
tary of  the  Republican  Central  Committee  of  Jefferson  county  in 
which  and  other  capacities  he  has  added  to  the  strength  of  the  ticket 
and  made  his  influence  felt  in  reducing  the  strong  normal  majority 
of  the  opposition.  Aside  from  his  political  work  he  is  interested  in 
the  material  progress  of  the  city  and  county,  and  takes  an  active 
part  in  promoting  all  enterprises  for  the  good  of  the  public  and  the 
benefit  of  his  fellow  men.  He  holds  membership  with  several  secret 
fraternal  organizations,  being  especially  interested  in  Masonry  in 
which  he  has  attained  high  rank  and  been  honored  with  a  number 
of  positions  of  responsibility  and  trust.  He  belongs  to  Mount  Ver- 
non Lodge,  No.  31,  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  Hubbard  Chapter 
No.  160,  Royal  Arch  Masons,  of  which  he  has  been  sojourner  for 
four  years,  Patton  Commandery,  No.  69,  Knights  Templar,  and  is 
also  a  member  of  Jefferson  Lodge,  No.  131,  Knights  of  Pythias, 
of  this  city. 

On  October  18,  1905,  Mr.  Seed  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Elizabeth  Fickes,  a  native  of  Steubenville,  Ohio,  a  graduate 
of  Adrian  College,  Michigan,  and  a  lady  of  varied  culture  and 
beautiful  character  who  is  highly  esteemed  by  the  many  friends  she 
has  made  since  becoming  an  influential  factor  in  the  religious  and 
social  life  of  her  adopted  city.    The  only  offspring  of  this  union  was 


372  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

a  daughter  who  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seed  are  members 
of  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Mount  Vernon  and 
maintain  a  lively  interest  in  all  religious  and  humanitarian  enterprises 
contributing  liberally  to  these  and  other  movements  for  the  good  of 
the  community  and  lending  their  influence  to  all  means  for  the  al- 
leviating human  suffering  and  elevating  the  standing  of  the  race. 


WALTER  S.  MAXEY. 

In  every  community,  large  or  small,  there  are  a  few  men  who, 
by  their  force  of  character,  are  intuitively  recognized  as  in  the  front 
rank  of  representative  citizens,  men  who  are  successful  in  their  busi- 
ness undertakings,  generous  and  fair  in  their  business  relations  and 
who  perceive  and  advocate  warmly  those  measures  which  msure  the 
public  welfare.  They  succeed  not  necessarily  because  of  extra- 
ordinary talent  or  because  of  the  influence  of  others,  but  very  largely 
because  of  close  application  to  whatever  they  have  in  hand  and 
thus  master  details  and  go  forward  step  by  step,  always  to  higher 
planes.  In  the  thriving  city  of  Mount  Vernon  there  is  a  representa- 
tive of  this  class  found  in  Walter  S.  Maxey,  the  son  of  James  C. 
and  Nancy  J.  Maxey,  who  was  born  in  Field  township,  Jefferson 
county,  Illinois,  Mc(rch  8,  1854.  (For  full  sketch  of  subject's  parents 
and  ancestors  see  sketch  of  James  C.  Maxey.) 

The  subject  received  his  early  education  in  the  common  and 
high  schools  of  his  native  county.  Being  a  diligent  student  he  soon 
acquired  a  good  education  and  was  enabled  to  begin  teaching  at  the 
age  of  twenty  and  in  a  short  time  had  established  quite  a  reputation 
in  the  Jefferson  county  public  schools  as  an  able  instructor,  follow- 
ing this  profession  for  a  period  of  nine  years  in  three  districts.     In 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  373 

the  winter  of  1 876  he  taught  in  Jersey  county,  this  state.  His  ser- 
vices were  in  great  demand  and  he  succeeded  in  pleasing  both  pupil 
and  patron.  But  notwithstanding  his  success  in  teaching  Mr.  Maxey 
decided  to  take  up  merchandising,  consequently  in  the  fall  of  1880 
he  began  clerking  in  the  grocery  store  of  the  late  S.  K.  Latham, 
continuing  in  a  most  satisfactory  manner  in  Mr.  Latham's  employ 
for  a  period  of  three  years,  a  part  of  the  time  for  S.  G.  H.  Taylor, 
who  purchased  the  former's  business. 

In  the  winter  of  1884  Mr.  Maxey  served  on  the  United  States 
grand  jury  at  Springfield,  Illinois,  for  three  months  and  was  unani- 
mously elected  clerk  of  that  body,  the  duties  of  which  he  performed 
in  a  very  faithful  and  able  manner. 

In  July,  1 884,  our  subject  entered  the  drug  store  of  Porter  & 
Bond  as  clerk  and  apprentice  to  learn  the  drug  business,  having 
worked  for  this  firm  continuously  until  October,  1 889,  when,  having 
become  a  registered  pharmacist  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Dr.  A. 
C.  Johnson  and  J.  H.  Rackaway  in  the  drug  business,  which  part- 
nership continued  until  1900,  when  Mr.  Maxey  and  Mr.  Rackaway 
bought  the  interests  of  Doctor  Johnson  in  the  drug  business  which 
they  are  still  continuing  at  the  old  stand  on  the  southeast  corner  of 
the  square,  making  twenty-five  consecutive  years  that  this  business 
has  been  located  there,  consequently  the  store  in  known  not  only  to 
everyone  in  Mount  Vernon  but  throughout  Jefferson  county  and  an 
extensive  trade  has  been  built  up,  for  the  managers  are  courteous  and 
considerate  to  all  customers  and  handle  a  complete  line  of  drugs, 
sundries,  etc.,  of  excellent  quality.  Their  store  is  a  neat  and  well 
managed  one. 

Mr.  Maxey  was  married  to  Almeda  Hicks  in  1 888.  She  was 
the  youngest  daughter  of  the  late  Col.  S.  G.  Hicks,  a  well  knovra 
family  of  this  county.  Mrs.  Maxey  passed  to  her  rest  in  1891  and 
in  1 900  the  subject  married  Estella  Wiedeman,  a  graduate  and  very 


374  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

eflficient  teacher  in  the  Mount  Vernon  pubhc  schools.  To  this 
union  three  children  have  been  born,  namely:  Walter  Charles, 
James  Wayland  and  Margaret  Moss. 

The  subject  has  filled  the  office  of  Assessor  for  Webber  town- 
ship; also  Collector,  and  several  terms  as  School  Trustee  of  Mount 
Vernon  township.  In  all  the  relations  of  life  he  has  proven  true  to 
the  trusts  reposed  in  him  and  performed  his  duties  conscientiously, 
consequently  he  is  spoken  of  in  highest  terms  of  approval  by  all  who 
know  him,  and  is  a  worthy  representative  of  the  old  and  honored 
Maxey  family. 


ELIJAH  H.  MARTEENY. 

It  is  with  no  intention  of  understanding  the  enterprise  and  suc- 
cess of  the  many  representative  farmers  of  Jefferson  county  or  of 
memorizing  their  influence  in  the  noble  vocation  to  which  their  ener- 
gies are  devoted  when  we  say  that  by  universal  consent  the  subject 
of  this  sketch  is  pre-eminently  the  leading  agriculturist  of  this  part  of 
Illinois  and  among  the  most  progressive  men  of  his  calling  in  the 
state.  Believing  in  the  dignity  of  his  chosen  work  and  the  nobility 
of  true  knight  of  the  soil  he  has  labored  long  and  earnestly  to  real- 
ize his  high  ideals  of  husbandry  and  the  reward  which  usually  fol- 
lows wisely  directed  industry  and  patient  endeavor,  has  come  to  him 
in  lavish  measure,  as  is  mdicated  by  his  palatial  country  seat  on  one 
of  the  model  farms  of  the  state  and  a  fortune  which  places  him 
among  the  financially  independent  men  of  the  county  which  he  hon- 
ors by  his  citizenship. 

Elijah  H.  Marteeny  was  born  near  Bloomington,  Illinois,  in 
the  year  1856,  and  is  the  son  of  William  and  Sallie  (King)  Mart- 
eeny.    From  the  most  reliable  data  obtainable  his  paternal  ante- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  375 

cedents  came  originally  from  Germany  and  settled  many  years  ago 
in  Pennsylvania  in  various  parts  of  which  state  the  family  has  been 
well  known  for  several  generations.  Mr.  Marteeny's  grandfather 
was  born  and  reared  in  Pennsylvania  and  like  his  ancestors  from 
time  immemorial,  followed  tilling  the  soil  for  a  livelihood.  He  was 
a  man  of  sterling  worth,  succeeded  well  in  his  chosen  calling  and 
after  a  long  and  useful  life  died  of  infirmities  incident  to  old  age  on 
the  family  seat  near  the  place  of  his  birth.  His  good  wife,  who  also 
lived  to  be  quite  old,  bore  him  seven  children,  the  majority  of  whom 
grew  to  maturity  and  became  well  settled  in  life  and  highly  esteemed 
in  their  respective  places  of  residence. 

Mr.  Marteeny's  maternal  ancestors,  the  Kings,  were  of  Eng- 
lish extraction  and  among  the  substantial  j'eomanry  of  New  York, 
where  his  grandparents  lived  and  died  and  where  descendants  of 
the  family  are  still  to  be  found. 

William  Marteeny,  father  of  the  subject,  was  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, but  after  his  marriage  with  Sallie  King,  moved  in  1839  to 
Illinois  and  settled  near  Bloomington,  having  been  among  the  pio- 
neers of  that  part  of  the  state.  The  journey  to  the  new  home  was 
in  what  was  then  the  western  wilderness,  was  a  slow  and  tedious  ex- 
perience, having  been  made  in  a  wagon  which  held  all  the  couple's 
earthly  possessions.  They  were  many  days  on  the  way  and  ere 
reaching  their  destination  were  obliged  to  traverse  the  long  distance 
through  wild  and  uninhabited  country  and  encountered  numerous 
difficulties  and  hardships,  including  the  absence  of  roads,  inclement 
weather  and  at  times  the  lack  of  the  simplest  necessities  of  life.  On 
arriving  at  his  objective  point  Mr.  Marteeny  purchased  land  on 
which  he  at  once  proceeded  to  erect  a  small  cabin  of  the  most  prim- 
itive type,  which  he  equipped  with  rude  furniture  made  by  hand,  and 
for  several  years  he  and  his  good  wife  experienced  their  full  share 
of  the  hardships  and  vicissitudes  of  pioneer  life. 


376 


WALL  S  HISTORY  OF  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 


The  conditions  of  William  Marteeny's  childhood  were  such 
as  to  interfere  very  materially  with  his  education  and  at  his  marriage 
he  could  barely  read  and  perhaps  laboriously  write  his  own  name. 
His  wife,  however,  had  enjoyed  superior  advantages  in  her  younger 
days  and  at  the  time  referred  to  was  not  only  well  educated  but  a 
woman  of  wide  general  information  and  refined  tastes.  No  sooner 
had  the  couple  become  well  settled  in  their  new  home  than  the  wife 
began  in  their  hours  of  leisure  to  instruct  her  husband,  he  being  an 
apt  and  ambitious  pupil  made  rapid  advancement  and  in  due  time 
acquired  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  ordinary  school  branches, 
which  served  as  a  foundation  for  his  subsequent  wide  range  of  read- 
ing and  the  intelligent  observation  which  made  him  one  of  the  best 
informed  men  of  the  community.  He  also  became  one  of  the  most 
enterprising  agriculturists  of  his  neighborhood,  reducing  the  quarter 
section  of  land  which  he  entered  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and 
by  the  addition  of  a  number  of  substantial  improvements  made  a 
farm  which  for  many  years  was  considered  a  model  by  the  people 
of  the  neighborhood. 

William  and  Sallie  Marteeny  had  a  family  of  eleven  children, 
eight  of  whom  grew  to  maturity.  James  Monroe,  one  of  the  sons, 
who  reached  the  years  of  manhood,  entered  the  three  months'  ser- 
vice at  the  beginning  of  the  Civil  war  in  the  Sixtieth  Illinois  Infan- 
try, and  re-enlisted  at  the  expiration  of  that  time  for  three  years,  and 
was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Atlanta.  William  Delos,  another  son, 
also  entered  the  three  months'  service,  later  re-enlisted  for  three 
years  or  until  the  close  of  the  war,  but  by  reason  of  disability  was 
afterwards  discharged,  later  dying  from  the  effects  of  disease  thus 
incurred.  Tillman  was  also  a  soldier  in  an  Illinois  regiment  at  the 
beginning  of  the  rebellion,  but  some  time  after  re-entering  the  service 
procured  his  discharge  in  order  to  look  after  his  mother's  interests, 
who  in  the  meanwhile  had  become  a  widow,  her  husband  dying  in 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  377 

the  year  1863,  and  one  of  the  sons  was  killed  by  a  stroke  of  light- 
ning at  a  Fourth  of  July  celebration  near  Centralia,  a  daughter  died 
in  1863,  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  and  another  daughter,  who  married 
and  moved  to  Colorado,  departed  this  life  in  that  state. 

A  few  years  prior  to  his  death  William  Marteeny  sold  his  farm 
near  Bloomington  and  purchased  a  farm  in  Jefferson  county  to  which 
he  removed  and  on  which  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days,  being 
forty-six  years  old  when  called  to  the  other  world.  His  widow  sur- 
vived him  until  1874,  when  she  too  passed  away,  being  fifty-four 
years  of  age  at  the  time  of  her  demise.  Both  belonged  to  the  Meth- 
odist church  and  were  noted  for  their  religious  zeal  and  good  works, 
having  always  been  interested  in  the  cause  of  Christianity  and  their 
influence  was  ever  on  the  side  of  right  living  and  correct  conduct. 
Mr.  Marteeny  was  an  uncompromising  Republican  and  a  zealous 
friend  of  the  Union,  having  been  a  leading  member  of  the  Union 
League,  during  the  early  part  of  the  war.  Through  his  efforts  a  num- 
ber of  young  men  were  induced  to  enter  the  service  and  do  battle  for 
the  national  banner. 

Elijah  H.  Marteeny  spent  his  early  life  on  the  family  home- 
stead in  Jefferson  county  and  enjoyed  the  privileges  usually  accorded 
country  lads,  after  which  he  became  familiar  with  the  duties  of  the 
farm  and  grew,  up  with  the  conviction  that  honest  toil  is  the  only 
true  passport  to  success  and  honorable  manhood.  Reared  to  agri- 
cultural pursuits  he  early  evinced  a  decided  liking  for  the  vocation 
and  after  remaining  with  his  father  until  he  passed  into  the  great  be- 
yond he  took  charge  of  the  homestead  in  Jefferson  county  to  which 
the  family  had  moved  in  the  meantime,  and  after  his  marriage  pur- 
chased at  intervals  the  interests  of  the  other  heirs  until  he  became 
sole  owner  of  the  place. 

Mr.  Marteeny's  farm  consists  of  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
three  acres  of  as  fine  land  as  Jefferson  county  can  boast,  every  foot 


378  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

of  which  is  under  high  state  of  cultivation,  while  the  improvements 
of  all  kinds  from  the  splendid  modern  dwelling  to  the  fences  and 
smallest  out  buildings  are  of  the  latest  and  most  approved  type  and 
compare  favorably  with  the  best  improvements  of  the  kind  in  the 
state.  Mr.  Marteeny  has  made  a  careful  and  critical  study  of  soils 
and  their  adaptability  to  the  various  crops  grown  in  this  latitude  and 
in  the  most  liberal  sense  of  the  term  is  a  modern  farmer  who  believes 
in  progressive  methods  and  in  the  dignity  of  the  calling.  In  some 
respects  he  has  departed  from  long  accepted  theories  of  tillage,  one 
of  which  is  the  rotation  of  crops  as  far  as  the  cultivation  of  timothy 
is  concerned,  contending,  with  good  reasons,  that  the  longer  ground 
is  devoted  to  this  crop  the  richer  the  soil  becomes.  As  proof  of  the 
correctness  of  this  theory  he  presents  the  fact  that  for  thirteen  con- 
secutive years  the  part  of  his  farm  devoted  to  timothy  not  only  kept 
up  an  average  yield  of  from  one  and  a  half  to  three  tons  of  excel- 
lent hay  per  acre,  but  when  put  in  corn  produced  a  larger  and  finer 
crop  than  any  other  field  on  the  place,  the  average  per  acre  also 
being  greater  than  that  of  any  other  farm  in  the  neighborhood.  In 
view  of  this  fact  he  pays  a  great  deal  of  attention  to  timothy  which 
yields  him  from  seventeen  to  thirty-two  dollars  per  acre,  and  as  there 
is  always  a  great  demand  for  first  class  hay  of  this  kind,  he  realizes 
bountiful  returns  on  his  meadows.  His  success  in  the  raising  of 
grain  and  other  crops  has  likewise  been  most  gratifying  and  in  all 
that  pertains  to  general  agriculture  he  is  fully  abreast  of  the  times 
and  far  in  advance  of  the  majority  of  farmers,  cultivating  the  soil 
according  to  scientific  principles  and  making  use  of  the  latest  modern 
implements  and  machinery  in  prosecuting  his  labors.  By  judicious 
fertilizing  he  has  not  only  attained  but  enhanced  the  productiveness 
of  his  land,  every  acre  of  which  is  cultivated  to  its  utmost  capacity 
with  results  that  have  fully  justified  his  many  innovations  and  earned 
for  him  the  reputation  of  one  of  the  most  intelligent  and  successful 
men  of  his  vocation  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  379 

Mr.  Marteeny,  as  already  indicated,  believes  in  imp^rovement 
and  has  not  been  sparing  in  the  matter  of  adding  to  the  beauty  and 
attractiveness  of  his  home  which  is  now  conceded  to  be  the  finest 
residence  in  Jefferson  county  outside  of  the  county  seat. 

The  splendid  modern  dwelling,  but  recently  completed,  is  lit- 
tle less  than  palatial  in  size,  comfort  and  adornment,  the  walls  be- 
ing of  concrete  with  cement  finish,  the  thirteen  rooms  and  several 
halls  amply  commodious  and  admirably  adapted  to  their  respective 
purposes,  the  entire  edifice  from  basement  to  the  lookout  tower  being 
a  model  of  architectural  skill  and  a  home  calculated  to  gratify  the 
tastes  of  the  most  critical  and  exacting  observer.  Water  is  sup- 
plied to  every  part  of  the  house  from  a  large  tank  in  the  cellar, 
from  which  it  is  forced  by  air  pressure  to  the  different  rooms,  and  in 
case  of  fire  streams  of  great  force  can  be  thrown  into  every  nook  and 
corner  of  the  building  thus  obviating  any  danger  from  this  source. 
The  artificial  light  plant  by  which  the  building  is  illuminated  is  a 
triumph  of  scientific  achievement,  every  room  being  supplied  with 
lamps  of  sufficient  power  to  convert  night  into  day,  as  is  also  the 
basement  which  extends  the  entire  length  of  the  building,  and  is 
finished  with  reference  to  various  uses  to  which  adapted.  No  pains 
were  spared  in  the  decorating  and  furnishing  of  this  superb  dwell- 
ing, all  parts  of  which  display  exceedingly  fine  taste.  At  the  same 
time  the  matter  of  comfort  was  by  no  means  overlooked,  and  it  is 
doubtful  if  in  any  other  county  in  the  state  another  building  answer- 
ing all  the  purposes  and  meeting  all  the  requirements  of  a  model 
rural  home  can  be  found  surpassing  this. 

The  other  buildings  on  Mr.  Marteeny's  place  are  in  keeping 
with  the  residence,  the  barn  being  the  largest  in  the  county,  com- 
plete in  all  its  parts  and  appointments,  while  the  smaller  out  build- 
ings are  also  first  class,  modern  structures,  all  in  good  repair  and 
well  adapted  to  the  various  purposes  for  which  designed.     The  en- 


380  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

tire  farm  is  enclosed  with  woven  wire  fence,  the  splendid  dwelling 
surrounded  with  trees  that  yield  both  fruit  and  shade,  the  lawn  in- 
terspersed with  beds  of  the  choicest  flowers,  the  excellent  condition 
of  the  fields,  the  presence  of  herds  of  fine  cattle  and  other  high  grade 
stock,  indeed,  the  appearance  of  the  entire  premises  and  everything 
thereon  indicate  a  home  of  an  intelligent  gentleman  of  refined  tastes 
and  progressive  tendencies,  as  master  of  the  vocation  to  which  his 
life  has  been  devoted  and  an  influential  factor  in  promoting  an  in- 
terest in  agricultural  science. 

Mr.  Marteeny  was  married  December  17,  1877,  to  Miss  Ida 
Laird,  of  Jefferson  county,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Eleanor  Laird, 
a  union  blessed  with  children  as  follows:  Ray,  born  May  4,  1878; 
Maud  Estella,  born  June  19,  1882,  married  Chfford  Bartell,  re- 
sides at  Victor,  Colorado.  She  was  a  graduate  of  the  State  Nor- 
nal  School  at  Greeley,  Colorado,  and  for  three  years  a  teacher  in 
the  schools  of  that  state;  Ethel  Blanche,  born  February  4.  1884; 
Alice  Gertrude,  March  8,  1886;  Morton  K.,  December  4,  1888; 
Lethel  v.,  born  July  5,  1890;  Hazel  K.,  born  April  25,  1892; 
Orville  H.,  who  was  born  October  22,  1894,  and  died  July  11, 
1896,  and  Merle,  whose  birth  occurred  on  the  21st  day  of  Jan- 
uary, 1897. 

In  public  affairs  Mr.  Marteeny  is  one  of  the  influential  Repub- 
licans of  the  county  but  has  never  aspired  to  office,  the  only  elective 
with  which  his  fellow  citizens  ever  honored  him  being  Highway 
Commissioner,  in  which  capacity  he  served  with  great  acceptance  for 
a  period  of  three  years.  For  many  years  he  has  been  a  warm  friend 
of  education  and  it  was  through  his  influence  and  liberality  that  a 
public  school  building  at  one  time  was  erected  on  his  farm,  near  the 
site  now  occupied  by  his  beautiful  modern  residence.  Two  of  his 
daughters  are  teachers  in  the  public  schools  of  Jefferson  county,  and 
at  the  present  time  three  members  of  his  family  are  students  in  the 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  381 

high  school  of  Mount  Vernon  and  will  graduate  in  the  class  of  '09. 
Fraternally  Mr.  Marteeny  belongs  to  the  Court  of  Honor  and  has 
filled  all  the  chairs  in  the  local  lodge  with  which  identified. 

In  all  that  constitutes  upright  manhood  and  progressive  citizen- 
ship Mr.  Marteeny  is  easily  the  peer  of  any  of  his  contemporaries  in 
the  county  of  Jefferson  and  his  sterling  integrity  and  stainless  honor 
mark  him  as  one  who  has  ever  tried  to  do  his  duty  and  to  live  in  a 
manner  becoming  a  broad  and  liberal  minded  American  of  noble 
aims  and  high  ideals.  He  has  acted  well  his  part  in  the  affairs  of  his 
fellow  men  and  the  conspicuous  place  he  holds  among  the  enterpris- 
ing and  public-spirited  citizens  of  his  adopted  county  has  been  faith- 
fully and  honorably  won. 

The  following  items  of  family  history  are  deemed  an  appro- 
priate close  to  the  foregoing  review:  Mr.  Marteeny 's  paternal 
grandfather  was  born  April  9,  1791,  and  died  October  14,  1845, 
aged  fifty-four  years;  his  grandmother  was  born  June  19,  1791, 
and  departed  this  life  on  June  11,1 833,  aged  forty-two  years.  Wil- 
liam Marteeny,  our  subject's  father,  was  born  December  17  1818, 
married  Sallie  King,  July  4,  1 839,  the  latter  having  been  born  on 
June  30th  of  the  year  1815.  Their  children  were  Delos,  born 
January  5,  1830,  died  January  18,  1876;  George  Tillison,  born 
July  1  7,  1840,  died  July  30,  1841  ;  Mary  Elizabeth  was  born  No- 
vember 26,  1841,  and  at  the  present  time  lives  in  Colorado;  James 
Monroe,  born  March  30,  1844,  killed  at  Adanta,  Georgia,  Sep- 
tember 3,  1864;  Tilman  Augustus,  born  March  17,  1846,  lives  in 
Chicago;  George  W.,  born  March  10,  1848.  was  killed  by  light- 
ning July  4,  1865;  Clarinda  M.,  born  June  9,  1849,  died  June  12, 
1854;  Jane  B.,  born  March  5,  1851.  died  May  22,  1902;  Mis- 
souri was  bom  October  1  1,  1853,  died  September  3,  1854;  Elijah 
H.,  of  this  review,  October  17,  1856;  Ella,  the  youngest  of  the 
family,  was  born  June  15,  1859,  and  died  April  15.  1860. 


382  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

The  father  of  these  children  died  March  29,  1864.  the  mother 
on  the  23d  of  December,  1 874. 


MOSS  MAXEY,  M.  D. 

In  an  age  when  there  is  no  little  just  discrimination  between  the 
true  and  the  false,  when  real  assurance  is  better  appreciated  than 
unpretending  merit,  it  is  a  pleasure  to  contemplate  the  career  and 
character  of  such  a  man  as  the  subject  of  this  memoir,  who,  though 
unassuming,  has  not  been  underestimated  by  the  people  and  who  in 
return  for  their  confidence  and  attachment  has  taught  them  how  valu- 
able may  be  those  professional  services  that  must  be  sought  for  and 
are  never  obtrusively  displayed,  as  it  were,  from  the  house  tops  or 
on  the  public  square.  Though  a  man  of  unpretentious  worth,  he 
possesses  the  magnetic  force  that  silently  attracts  men  and  those 
mental  qualities  and  personal  graces  that  grapple  them  to  him  as 
with  bands  of  Steele,  also  the  tact  and  power  that  make  his  fellows, 
as  events,  subserve  his  purposes  and  add  to  his  honorable  reputation 
in  one  of  the  most  useful  and  exacting  callings  which  appeal  to  the 
human  mind. 

Dr.  Moss  Maxey  is  scion  from  superior  stock.  In  his  life  cur- 
rents are  mingled  the  stury  strength  of  old  Virginia  ancestry  and  the 
ardor  of  antecedents  whose  early  experience  was  closely  inter- 
woven with  the  pioneer  history  of  the  West.  For  many  years  both 
branches  of  his  family  have  been  closely  identified  with  the  rise  and 
progress  of  Jefferson  county  and  today  there  are  few  names  as 
widely  known  or  as  greatly  esteemed  in  Southern  Illinois,  as  the  one 
which  he  so  honorably  bears. 

Burchett  Maxey,  the  doctor's  grandfather,  who  erected  the 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  383 

first  house  on  the  present  site  of  Mount  Vernon  in  the  year  1819, 
was  a  native  of  Virginia,  where  his  birth  occurred  in  1  795,  and  to 
his  son,  James  C.  Maxey,  the  subject's  father,  belongs  the  distinction 
of  being  the  oldest  native  born  citizen  of  Jefferson  county  at  the 
present  time.  Burchett  Maxey  removed  from  his  native  place  to 
Sumner  county,  Virginia,  in  his  younger  days,  thence  migrated  to 
Southern  Illinois  and  was  one  of  the  first  permanent  settlers  in  what 
is  now  the  county  of  Jefferson.  He  bore  his  full  share  in  the  pio- 
neer history  of  this  part  of  the  state,  but  has  long  been  sleeping  the 
sleep  that  knows  no  awaking,  leaving  to  his  descendants  a  name  that 
lives  in  the  memories  of  the  present  generation  and  is  destined  to  be 
handed  down  to  future  years  as  one  of  the  leaders  of  civilization  into 
what  is  now  one  of  the  most  prosperous  and  enlightened  counties  of 
the  commonwealth. 

James  C.  Maxey,  a  sketch  of  whom  appears  elsewhere  in  this 
volume,  married  Nancy  Moss,  like  himself,  a  native  of  Jefferson 
county,  and  became  the  father  of  eight  children  whose  names  are  as 
follows:  John  R.,  deceased;  Walter  S.,  a  druggist  of  Mount  Ver- 
non; Oscar,  a  farmer  and  stock  raiser  of  Jefferson  county;  A.  F., 
who  is  also  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  agriculture  in  the  county; 
Henry,  manager  of  the  Standard  Oil  plant  and  of  the  Ice  &  Cold 
Storage  Company,  of  Mount  Vernon;  Lillie  married  Frank  Sugg, 
of  Kinmundy,  Illinois;  Oliver,  deceased;  and  Dr.  Moss  Maxey, 
of  this  review. 

Doctor  Maxey  is  a  native  of  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  and 
since  infancy  his  life  has  been  very  closely  associated  with  the  place 
of  his  birth.  In  the  free  wholesome  out-door  life  of  the  farm,  he 
spent  his  early  years  and  while  still  quite  young  learned  the  lessons 
of  industry  and  thrift  in  his  father's  fields  and  under  the  direction  of 
his  parents  laid  broad  and  deep  the  solid  mental  and  moral  founda- 
tion upon  which  his  subsequent  career  as  a  distinguished  member  of 


384  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

the  medical  profession  rests.  After  attending  the  district  schools 
until  acquiring  a  pretty  thorough  knowledge  of  the  branches  taught 
therein  he  turned  his  attention  to  farm  labor  and  was  thus  engaged 
on  the  family  homestead  until  deciding  to  what  vocation  or  profes- 
sion his  future  life  should  be  devoted.  Having  selected  medicine 
as  the  calling  most  suited  to  his  tastes  and  inclinations,  the  doctor  in 
1 894  entered  the  Missouri  Medical  College  at  St.  Louis,  where  he 
pursued  his  professional  studies  and  researches  until  completing  the 
prescribed  course  three  years  later,  receiving  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Medicine  from  that  institution  in  1 897. 

Immediately  after  his  graduation  Doctor  Maxey  located  at 
Mount  Vernon,  where  he  soon  gained  recognition  and  built  up  a 
practice  which  continued  to  grow  in  magnitude  and  importance  until 
his  place  among  the  successful  physicians  and  surgeons  became  per- 
manently fixed  and  a  liberal  income  assured. 

At  the  beginning  of  his  career  he  was  actuated  by  a  laudable 
ambition  to  advance  in  his  noble  calling  and  become  a  true  healer  of 
human  ills  and  with  this  object  in  view  he  devoted  every  energy  to 
the  acquiring  of  a  profound  knowledge  of  medical  science  with  the 
ability  to  apply  the  same  to  the  treatment  of  diseases.  His  watch- 
fulness over  the  interests  and  welfare  of  his  patients,  his  devotion  to 
his  profession,  his  sound  sense  and  good  judgment  combined  to  com- 
plete his  acknowledged  fitness  for  his  calling  and  in  due  time  his 
name  and  fame  spread  far  beyond  the  limits  of  the  field  to  which  his 
talents  were  principally  devoted  and  earned  for  him  an  honorable 
reputation  among  the  distinguished  physicians  and  surgeons  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  state.  In  addition  to  his  general  practice  the 
doctor  was  for  eight  years  one  of  the  surgeons  of  the  Mount  Ver- 
non Car  Manufacturing  Company,  discharging  the  duties  of  the 
same  with  signal  ability  which  has  added  much  to  his  reputation  as  a 
painstaking  and  untiring  devotee  of  the  healing  art. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  385 

Doctor  Maxey  has  met  with  unusual  success  as  a  surgeon  and 
among  his  professional  brethren  is  considered  a  skillful  operaor.  In 
medicine  he  has  few  equals  and  no  superiors  in  the  city  of  his  resi- 
dence as  is  indicated  by  the  extensive  practice  he  now  commands, 
which  has  been  as  successful  financially  as  professionally  and  which 
has  resulted  in  the  accumulation  of  a  handsome  competency  and 
gained  for  him  a  place  among  the  well-to-do  men  of  his  city  and 
county.  The  doctor  has  spared  no  pains  to  keep  abreast  of  the 
times  in  all  matters  relating  to  his  life  work  and  in  touch  with  the 
trend  of  professional  thought,  being  a  close  and  diligent  student,  a 
critical  observer  and  to  no  small  degree  an  investigator  whose  dis- 
coveries have  added  very  materially  to  his  own  success  and  assisted 
others  in  their  professional  work.  He  holds  membership  in  various 
societies  and  organizations  for  the  advancement  of  professional 
thought,  among  which  are  the  Jefferson  County  Medical  Society, 
the  National  Association  for  the  Study  and  Preservation  of  Tuber- 
culosis; the  Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Science  and  other 
societies  of  like  character,  in  the  deliberations  of  which  he  keeps  well 
informed  and  in  close  touch  with  the  leading  spirits  among  the  mem- 
bership. 

Doctor  Maxey  is  highly  esteemed  in  the  community  and  his  in- 
tercourse with  his  fellows  has  been  such  as  to  command  the  respect 
and  confidence  of  all.  Like  most  enterprising  men  he  takes  an  active 
interest  in  secret  fraternal  work  and  belongs  to  several  organizations 
with  this  principle  as  a  basis,  the  most  noted  being  the  Masonic 
Order,  in  which  he  has  risen  to  a  high  degree  and  been  honored  at 
intervals  with  positions  of  honor  and  trust.  He  is  past  master  of 
Mount  Vernon  Lodge,  No.  3 1 ,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Royal  Arch 
Chapter  besides  having  a  wide  acquaintance  among  the  leading 
Masons  of  his  own  and  other  states.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat, 
entirely  inactive  as  far  as  participation  in  party  affairs  is  concerned 
25 


386  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

notwithstanding  which  he  is  famihar  with  the  leading  questions  and 
issues  of  the  day  and  profoundly  versed  in  the  history  and  policies 
of  the  various  political  oragnizations  which  have  marked  the  progress 
of  the  United  States  from  the  founding  of  the  government  to  the 
present  time. 

As  indicated  in  a  preceding  paragraph  Doctor  Maxey  is  a 
student  not  only  of  matters  relating  to  his  profession  but  of  a  wide 
range  of  subjects  including  history,  science,  sciology,  evolution  and 
history  of  comparative  religion,  his  acquaintance  with  the  world's 
best  literature  being  both  general  and  profound. 

He  has  always  been  a  good  reader  and  finds  his  chief  enjoy- 
ment in  his  magnificent  library  where  in  converse  with  the  wise  and 
great  of  the  ages  he  acquires  the  knowledge  and  intellectual  acumen 
which  renders  him  an  authority  on  the  literature  of  all  countries 
and-  all  times  and  make  him  a  welcome  addition  to  circles  and  gath- 
erings having  in  view  the  mental  improvement  of  their  members. 

The  doctor  has  exercised  sound  judgment  and  wise  discretion 
in  building  up  his  library  which  is  pronounced  by  scholars  and  others 
capable  of  judging  to  be  the  finest  collection  of  standard  works  in 
Mount  Vernon  and  one  of  the  largest  and  most  valuable  in  the  state. 
He  selects  his  books  with  the  greatest  care,  keeping  in  mind  their 
literary  merit  and  worth,  allowing  none  but  those  of  recognized 
ability  on  his  shelves,  the  number  of  volumes  at  this  time  being  con- 
siderably in  excess  of  one  thousand,  among  which  are  none  of  a  light 
or  frivolous  character,  all  being  standard  and  of  the  highest  order 
of  literary  excellence.  In  his  collection  are  a  number  of  very  rare 
editions  that  have  come  down  from  remote  times  and  not  a  few  of 
his  choice  books  are  beyond  price  and  cannot  be  duplicated. 

Doctor  Maxey  was  first  married  in  1892  to  Miss  Lulu 
Swift,  of  Mount  Vernon,  the  union  resulting  in  the  birth  of  two  chil- 
dren, a  son,  Hugh  W.,  and  a  daughter  by  the  name  of  Vivian,  aged 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  387 

fifteen  and  twelve  years,  respectively.  His  second  marriage  vs^as 
solemnized  in  1904  with  Miss  Winnie  Tanner,  the  accomplished 
and  popular  daughter  of  Allen  C.  Tanner,  a  prominent  citizen  of 
Mount  Vernon  and  one  of  the  enterprising  men  of  Jefferson  county. 


SIDNEY  BREESE  HAM. 

One  of  the  leading  business  men  of  Mount  Vernon  and  an 
honorable  representative  of  the  old  and  well  known  family  whose 
history  is  briefly  outlined  in  the  sketch  of  Christopher  D.  Ham,  is  a 
native  of  Jefferson  county,  and  the  son  of  Christopher  D.  and 
Helena  (Grant)  Ham.  He  was  born  May  23,  1874.  in  the  city 
where  he  still  resides,  received  his  intellectual  discipline  in  the 
schools  of  the  same  and  at  the  early  age  of  seventeen  years  began 
his  business  career  by  entering  his  father's  bank,  where  he  acquired 
a  practical  knowledge  of  financial  matters  and  in  due  time  became 
one  of  the  institution's  ablest  and  most  trusted  employes. 

He  has  never  taken  upon  himself  the  duties  and  responsibilities 
of  matrimony,  notwithstanding  which  he  makes  the  most  of  life  and 
its  opportunities,  encourages  all  legitimate  means  for  the  advance- 
ment of  the  community  along  social,  intellectual  and  moral  lines 
and  spares  no  reasonable  efforts  to  benefit  his  fellow  men  and  make 
the  world  better  by  his  presence.  With  his  mother  he  occupies  the 
family  residence  known  as  Grant  Place. 

Mr.  Ham  is  a  Mason  of  high  degree,  belonging  to  Blue  Lodge, 
No.  3 1 ,  Chapter  No.  1 6,  and  Commandery  No.  69,  Mount  Vernon 
He  is  also  identified  with  the  Jefferson  Lodge,  No.  121,  Knights  of 
Pythias,  and  Lodge  819,  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks, 
in  all  of  which  he  has  held  important  official  positions  from  time  to 


388  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

time.  In  matters  religious  he  subscribes  to  the  Methodist  faith,  and 
with  his  mother  belongs  to  the  church  in  Mount  Vernon,  being  in- 
terested in  the  various  lines  of  work  under  the  auspices  of  the  same. 


CONRAD  SCHUL. 


Pre-eminently  a  self-made  man  and  one  of  the  leading  mem- 
bers of  a  bar  noted  for  the  high  order  of  its  legal  talent,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch  fills  a  large  place  in  the  public  view  and  for  a  number 
of  years  has  figured  prominently  in  the  civil  affairs  of  his  county  and 
state.  He  enjoys  to  a  marked  degree  the  confidence  and  esteem  of 
his  fellow  citizens,  has  held  worthily  positions  of  honor  and  trust  and 
although  a  young  man,  has  made  his  influence  felt  in  various  lines  of 
activity  and  may  with  propriety  be  classed  among  the  leaders  of 
thought  in  the  city  of  his  residence.  Conrad  Schul,  attorney  and 
counsellor-at-law,  and  ex-Judge  of  Jefferson  county,  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 23,  1875,  in  New  York  City.  His  father,  Conrad  Schul,  also 
a  native  of  the  great  metropolis,  was  a  tailor  by  trade  and  for  a 
number  of  years  conducted  a  thriving  establishment  in  the  city  of 
his  birth.  Katherine  Landregan,  who  became  the  wife  of  the  elder 
Schul,  was  born  and  reared  in  New  York  state  and  was  of  Irish 
descent,  her  husband's  people  coming  originally  from  Germany.  She 
died  when  her  only  child,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  quite  young 
and  left  to  him  the  memory  of  a  beautiful  character  and  a  devoted 
life. 

Conrad  Schul,  Jr.,  spent  the  first  ten  years  of  his  life  in  his  na- 
tive city  and  about  1885  came  to  Hamilton  county,  Illinois,  where 
he  received  his  education.  Subsequently,  August,  1892,  he  be- 
came a  resident  of  Mount  Vernon  and  for  several  years  thereafter 


CONE^D  SCHUL. 


UBRARY 
OF  THE 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  389 

was  employed  in  the  car  shops  of  this  city,  devoting  his  leisure  time 
the  meanwhile  to  the  study  of  law,  for  which  he  early  manifested  a 
decided  preference.  Mr.  Schul  began  his  legal  studies  in  March, 
1894,  under  the  direction  of  George  B.  Leonard,  a  well  known  at- 
torney of  Jefferson  county,  and  by  diligent  application  made  such 
rapid  and  commendable  progress  that  within  less  than  three  years  he 
was  able  to  pass  the  required  examination  and  engage  in  the  practice 
of  his  profession,  his  admission  to  the  bar  bearing  date  of  February 
23,  1897,  the  twenty-second  anniversary  of  his  birth.  Considering 
the  difficulties  under  which  he  labored  and  the  many  obstacles  en- 
countered, his  is  a  remarkable  record  and  has  few  if  any  parallels 
among  the  members  of  the  legal  profession  in  the  field  to  which  his 
practice  is  principally  confined. 

Immediately  after  receiving  his  license,  Mr.  Schul  entered  upon 
the  practice  of  law  at  Mount  Vernon  and  in  due  time  won  a  fair 
share  of  business  and  secured  quite  a  large  and  lucrative  clientele. 
Like  the  majority  of  young  attorneys,  however,  he  was  obliged  to 
enter  a  field  already  occupied  by  old  and  experienced  practitioners, 
but  nothing  daunted,  he  strove  earnestly  in  the  face  of  opposition  and 
it  was  not  long  until  his  ability  was  recognized  and  his  progress  was 
assured.  In  the  meantime,  he  became  interested  in  public  matters 
and  entering  the  political  arena,  soon  rose  to  a  place  of  influence  in 
the  Democratic  party,  his  services  to  which  led  to  his  nomination  and 
election  in  1902,  to  the  honorable  and  responsible  office  of  County 
Judge.  Mr.  Schul's  official  career  was  eminently  satisfactory  and 
creditable  and  compares  favorably  with  that  of  the  many  able  men 
thus  honored.  He  discharged  his  duties  fairly  and  impartially, 
looked  carefully  after  the  interests  of  the  county  and  strove  by  every 
laudable  means  to  prove  a  worthy  and  acceptable  official  and  a  true 
servant  of  the  public.  Retiring  from  the  office  at  the  expiration  of 
four  years,  he  resumed  the  practice  of  his  profession  and  now  has  an 


390  wall's  history  of  jefferson  cc,  ill. 

extensive  and  profitable  business,  which  is  constantly  growing  in 
magnitude  and  importance,  not  only  in  his  own  city  and  county,  but 
in  other  jurisdictions  as  well.  As  a  lawyer,  he  ranks  high  and  stands 
today  among  the  leaders  of  the  Jefferson  County  Bar.  As  already 
stated,  he  is  a  Democrat  and  has  long  been  a  power  in  local  and 
state  affairs,  being  a  leader  of  his  party  in  the  county,  besides  wield- 
ing a  wide  influence  in  political  circles  throughout  the  state.  He 
has  been  influential  in  party  counsels  for  a  number  of  years,  serving 
from  1900  to  1902  inclusive,  as  Congressional  Committeeman  for 
the  Twenty-third  Congressional  District  and  at  the  present  time 
he  is  Judicial  Committeeman  of  the  Second  Judicial  Circuit,  in  both 
of  which  capacities  his  services  have  been  valuable  and  highly  ap- 
preciated. As  a  campaigner  he  has  few  equals  in  Southern  Illinois, 
being  not  only  a  shrewd  and  judicious  manager  and  tireless  worker, 
but  also  a  forcible,  logical  and  eloquent  speaker,  his  ability  on  the 
hustings  causing  large  demands  for  his  services  in  every  political 
contest.  Although  active  and  influential  as  a  politician,  he  is  emi- 
nently honorable  in  his  methods,  never  resorting  to  the  questionable 
practices  of  the  professional  partisan,  nor  making  use  of  any  of  the 
wiles  and  subterfuges  of  the  demagogue.  A  man  of  strong  char- 
acter and  invincible  integrity,  he  is  popular  with  the  people,  irre- 
spective of  party  alignment  and  as  an  enterprising  public-spirited  citi- 
zen with  the  good  of  the  community  and  the  welfare  of  his  fellow 
men  ever  at  heart,  no  one  today  in  the  city  of  Mount  Vernon  stands 
higher  in  the  esteem  of  the  people  or  has  shown  himself  more  worthy 
of  the  regard  in  which  he  is  held. 

In  addition  to  his  general  practice,  Mr.  Schul  is  attorney  and 
counsellor  for  several  local  and  general  enterprises,  among  which 
are :  The  American  Security  Company,  the  Purity  Ice  Cream  Com- 
pany and  the  Kansas,  Illinois  Gas  Company.  He  belongs  to  the 
Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  Knights  of  Pythias,  Red 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  391 

Men  and  the  American  Home  Circle,  aside  from  which  organizations 
he  manifests  a  Hvely  interest  in  the  social  and  intellect  life  of  Mount 
Vernon,  besides  giving  his  encouragement  and  support  to  all  meas- 
ures and  enterprises  having  for  their  object  the  material  progress  of 
the  city  and  the  moral  advancement  of  the  populace.  Mr.  Schul 
has  never  taken  upon  himself  the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  the 
marriage  relation,  nevertheless  he  is  popular  in  the  social  circle  and 
a  hale  fellow  well  met  among  his  friends  whom  he  numbers  by  the 
score  and  fastens  to  himself,  as  it  were,  with  bands  of  steel.  A 
sane,  well  rounded,  forceful  man,  he  has  acted  well  his  part  in  life 
and  his  past  success  and  present  high  standing  professionally  and 
otherwise  may  be  taken  as  an  earnest  of  the  still  brighter  laurels  and 
greater  honors  which  he  is  destined  to  achieve  in  coming  years. 


CHARLES  H.  PATTON. 

With  no  intention  of  minimizing  the  justly  earned  fame  of  the 
many  distinguished  citizens  who  have  figured  in  the  history  of  Jef- 
ferson county,  it  can  be  truthfully  stated  that  among  their  honored 
names  none  occupied  a  more  prominent  position,  achieved  greater 
success  or  were  better  beloved  by  their  fellows  than  the  late  Charles 
H.Patton,of  Mount  Vernon,  for  many  years  one  of  the  leading  law- 
yers of  Southern  Illinois  and  admittedly  the  peer  of  any  of  his  con- 
temporaries of  the  state  in  legal  acumen  and  professional  ability. 
Few  men  of  his  day  were  as  widely  and  favorably  known,  none  ex- 
ceeded him  in  those  sterling  qualities  which  make  for  noble  manhood 
and  a  high  standard  of  citizenship  and  when  the  historian  of  the 
future  contemplates  the  good  and  the  great  whose  deeds  and  in- 
fluence contributed  to  the  progress  of  Illinois  and  gave  the  state  her 


392  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

proud  position  among  her  sister  commonwealths,  his  name  will  oc- 
cupy no  mmor  place  in  the  category. 

In  the  life  current  of  Charles  H.  Patton  flowed  the  best  blood 
of  a  long  line  of  sturdy  New  England  ancestry  and  to  a  marked  de- 
gree he  combined  the  sterling  qualities  and  attributes  for  which  his 
antecedents  for  many  generations  were  distinguished.  On  the  pa- 
ternal side  his  people  were  among  the  early  English  settlers  of  Con- 
necticut, the  maternal  branch  of  the  family  being  traceable  to  a  re- 
mote period  in  the  history  of  Vermont.  Eliphalet  W.  Patton,  the 
father,  was  born  October  5,  1805,  in  Hartford  county,  Connecti- 
cut, and  when  a  young  man  married  Miss  Ladora  A.  Griswold, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Burlington,  Vermont,  in  the  year  1814,  and 
who  became  the  mother  of  six  children,  the  subject  being  the  oldest 
of  the  family.  Charles  H.  Patton,  who  was  also  a  native  of  Hart- 
ford county,  Connecticut,  was  born  May  19,  1834,  and  the  year 
following  was  taken  by  his  parents  to  Ashtabula  county,  Ohio,  where 
the  family  remained  until  removing  in  1 862  to  Jefferson  county, 
Illinois.  On  coming  to  this  state  Eliphalet  Patton  purchased  land 
in  Dodds  township  and  engaged  in  farming  which  vocation  he  con- 
tinued with  gratifying  success  until  his  death  on  December  5th  of 
the  year  1881 . 

The  early  life  of  Charles  H.  Patton  was  spent  on  a  farm  in 
Ashtabula  county,  Ohio,  where  he  grew  to  manhood  under  excel- 
lent home  influences  and  while  still  a  mere  youth  gave  evidence  of 
the  strong  mental  and  moral  force  which  formed  such  a  marked  and 
influential  characteristic  of  his  more  mature  years.  His  father  pro- 
vided for  his  educational  training  by  procurring  for  him  the  ad- 
vantages of  an  academic  course  at  Kingsville,  Ohio,  the  preceptor 
being  Zwinglass  Graves,  afterward  president  of  the  Female  College 
of  Lebanon,  Pennsylvania,  under  whose  direction  he  pursued  his 
studies  until  acquiring  a  tolerably  thorough  knowledge  of  the  ordi- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  393 

nary  branches  and  an  acquaintance  with  the  classic  language,  mean- 
while he  assisted  in  the  cultivation  of  the  farm,  and  by  reason  of 
being  the  oldest  son,  not  a  few  of  the  responsibilities  of  the  family 
naturally  fell  to  him.  After  remaining  with  his  parents  until  his 
eighteenth  year  he  severed  his  home  ties  and  shipped  as  a  sailor  on 
the  Great  Lakes,  which  vocation  he  followed  during  the  three  years 
ensuing  and  in  which  he  acquired  a  valuable  practical  knowledge 
besides  meeting  with  many  interesting  and  not  a  few  thrilling  ex- 
periences. 

On  attaining  his  majority  Mr.  Patton  quit  the  lake  service  and 
turned  his  attention  to  teaching,  which  line  of  work  he  followed  for 
a  few  years  for  the  purpose  of  fitting  himself  for  a  more  permanent 
profession.  His  early  predilections  were  in  favor  of  the  law  and 
with  this  in  view  he  exercised  the  strictest  economy  until  saving  suffi- 
cient from  his  earnings  to  defray  his  expenses  while  pursuing  a  pre- 
liminary course  of  reading  in  the  office  of  Hon.  L.  A.  Leonard,  of 
Pierpont,  Ohio,  a  prominent  lawyer  of  that  place  and  one  of  the 
distinguished  jurists  of  the  state.  Under  the  able  instruction  of  this 
learned  Judge  Mr.  Patton  made  commendable  progress  and  in  due 
time  was  sufficiently  advanced  for  admission  to  the  bar,  which  for- 
mality took  place  on  March  12th  of  the  year  1862.  The  year  prior 
to  that  date,  however,  he  came  to  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  to  look 
after  his  father's  purchase  until  the  latter  could  remove  his  family 
to  the  new  home  in  the  West,  and  in  the  winter  follow- 
ing his  admission  to  the  bar,  he  taught  school  in  Jefferson  county, 
meanwhile  maturing  plans  for  engaging  in  his  profession  as  soon  as 
practicable. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  family  in  1 862  to  take  charge  of  the  farm, 
Mr.  Patton  began  the  practice  of  law  at  Mount  Vernon  in  partner- 
ship with  Judge  James  M.  Pollock,  the  firm  thus  constituted  lasting 
until   1865,  when  the  junior  member  was  elected  County  Clerk, 


394  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

which  office  he  held  with  ability  and  credit  for  a  period  of  four  years. 
Resuming  his  profession  at  the  expiration  of  his  official  term  in  1 869, 
Mr.  Patton  practiced  alone  until  the  following  year  when  he  formed 
a  partnership  with  Judge  Thomas  S.  Casey,  which  continued  until 
1873,  and  during  that  time  was  not  only  one  of  the  strongest  law 
firms  in  Jefferson  county  but  among  the  ablest  in  Southern  Illinois, 
with  a  reputation  by  no  means  confined  to  state  lines.  Severing  his 
connection  with  his  associate  in  the  year  indicated,  Mr.  Patton  again 
maintained  an  office  of  his  own,  and  rose  to  a  prominent  position 
among  the  distinguished  men  of  his  profession  in  the  West,  his  name 
for  a  number  of  years  appearing  in  connection  with  the  leading  cases 
tried  in  the  courts  of  Jefferson  and  neighboring  counties  while  his 
services  were  frequently  in  demand  in  causes  demanding  a  high 
order  of  legal  talent,  in  other  jurisdictions.  By  the  unanimous  ap- 
proval of  the  Mount  Vernon  Bar,  he  was  chosen  Master  in  Chan- 
cery, this  signal  mark  of  confidence  on  the  part  of  his  professional 
brethren  bearing  eloquent  testimony  to  his  eminent  legal  ability  and 
to  the  high  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  as  a  man  and  good  citizen. 
Mr.  Patton's  career  as  a  chancery  and  corporation  lawyer  gave 
him  an  honorable  reputation  in  legal  circles  throughout  the  state  and 
brought  him  in  contact  with  some  of  the  greatest  men  of  his  profes- 
sion in  various  parts  of  the  Union.  Wherever  known  his  talents  com- 
manded respect  and  for  a  number  of  years  his  name  occupied  a 
prominent  place  among  the  great  legal  minds  of  the  Middle  West  as 
stated  above,  winning  recognition  in  other  and  remoter  parts  of  the 
country.  He  possessed  in  a  marked  degree  those  traits  and  abilities 
by  which  men  make  themselves  masters  of  their  fates.  It  is  difficult 
to  discover  and  define  the  hidden  forces  that  move  a  life  of  ceaseless 
and  varied  activities ;  little  more  can  be  done  than  to  note  their  man- 
ifestations in  his  career;  Mr.  Patton  mounted  rapidly  from  one 
sphere  of  usefulness  to  another,  always  acquitting  himself  most  hon- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  395 

orably  and  discharging  worthily  the  duties  of  every  station  to  which 
his  fellow  citizens  called  him.  In  his  profession  he  attained  a  high 
rank,  and  for  a  series  of  years  his  position  as  leader  of  the  Jefferson 
County  Bar  was  never  questioned.  Firmly  linked  logic,  also 
quick  repartee  and  scathing  criticism  were  at  his  command,  while 
clear  perception,  perfect  analysis,  comprehensive  thought,  correct 
judgment  and  stainless  integrity  were  among  the  more  prominent 
characteristics  of  a  professional  career  which  brought  credit  to  him- 
self and  honor  to  the  city  in  which  his  greatest  success  was  achieved. 

He  was  not  only  an  able  and  brilliant  attorney  but  a  public- 
spirited  gentleman  who  enjoyed  universal  admiration  and  esteem  and 
whose  life  was  largely  devoted  to  the  public  good.  Those  who 
knew  him  best  were  most  profuse  in  their  praise  of  his  many  sterling 
qualities  and  all  who  enjoyed  the  privilege  of  a  personal  acquaint- 
ance were  made  better  by  the  association.  Few  men  of  Jefferson 
county  were  as  widely  known,  none  exceeded  him  in  powers  of  mind 
and  intellect  and  he  was  easily  the  peer  of  any  of  his  professional 
contemporaries,  in  all  that  constituted  a  really  good  lawyer  and  dis- 
tinguished man  of  affairs. 

Mr.  Patton  was  married  November  17,  1854,  to  Miss  Char- 
lotte Shave,  of  Bere  Regis,  Dorsetshire,  England,  who  came  to 
America  with  her  parents  in  1847  when  eleven  years  of  age,  and 
grew  to  maturity  in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois.  Her  father,  John 
Shave,  and  mother,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Charlotte  Lane, 
were  among  the  esteemed  residents  of  the  community  in  which  they 
lived,  but  both  have  long  been  sleeping  beneath  the  sod,  their  mem- 
ories being  tenderly  cherished  by  a  grateful  posterity.  The  follow- 
ing are  the  names  of  the  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Patton: 
Dr.  Fred  W.  Patton,  a  successful  physician  and  surgeon  of  St. 
Louis,  Missouri;  Lulu  L.,  wife  of  Stephen  G.  H.  Taylor,  of  Mount 
Vernon;  Lillie  W.,  who  married  James  G.  Nugent,  of  St.  Louis, 


3%  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

and  Otto  Charles  Patton,  who  served  as  an  officer  in  the  Illinois 
National  Guard,  and  with  his  company  was  among  the  first  to  enter 
the  United  States  service  in  the  late  war  with  Spain.  He  took  an 
honorable  part  in  that  struggle  and  at  its  close  resigned  his  commis- 
sion and  returned  to  his  home  in  Mount  Vernon  where  he  has  since 
resided. 

Mr.  Patton  was  a  prominent  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity 
and  rose  to  high  rank  in  the  order,  Patton  Commandery  of  Mount 
Vernon  having  been  named  in  his  honor.  He  was  also  actively 
identified  with  the  Knights  of  Honor,  did  much  for  the  success  of 
the  order  in  the  state  at  large  and  exemplified  in  his  relations  with 
his  fellow  men  the  beautiful  and  sublime  principles  upon  which  both 
the  above  organizations  are  founded.  Indeed  he  aided  to  the  ex- 
tent  of  his  ability  all  organizations  and  enterprises  having  for  their 
object  the  advancement  of  the  community  and  the  material,  social 
and  moral  welfare  of  his  fellow  men,  contributed  liberally  to  var- 
ious charitable  and  humanitarian  projects  and  gave  his  influence  to 
every  worthy  movement  for  the  benefit  of  the  race.  His  career  was 
filled  to  repletion  with  activity  and  usefulness,  and  the  limited  space 
of  this  review  does  not  permit  of  a  detailed  account  of  his  distin- 
guished professional  success  or  of  the  faithful  services  uniformly 
rendered  to  the  many  friends  of  the  city  of  his  residence,  the  state 
and  nation.  Few  men  lived  such  a  happy  life  or  were  so  blessed  in 
their  family  and  surroundings  or  had  such  absolute  control  of  them- 
selves while  serving  with  distinction  their  day  and  generation.  Of 
pleasing  presence  and  dignified  demeanor  he  had  massive  mind  and 
a  heart  in  proportion  thereto,  and  although  a  natural  leader  of  men 
his  kindly  nature  made  him  the  friend  and  well  wisher  of  the  hum- 
blest of  his  fellows. 

The  death  of  this  eminent  lawyer,  able  public  official  and  dis- 
tinguished citizen,  occurred  on  the  23d  day  of  December,  1901 ,  and 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  397 

was  not  only  a  loss  to  his  county  and  state  but  the  nation  as  well. 
Mrs.  Patton,  who  is  still  living,  resides  in  Mount  Vernon,  and  is 
highly  esteemed  by  the  best  people  of  the  city  for  her  many  esti- 
mable qualities  of  mind  and  heart. 


HON.  WILLIAM  H.  GREEN. 

Early  pioneer  experiences,  brilliant  service  in  two  wars,  prom- 
inence and  usefulness  as  legislators,  physicians  and  lawyers,  dis- 
tinguished connection  with  the  industrial  and  social  development  of 
the  community,  constitute  the  proud  record  of  the  Green  family,  so 
long  and  favorably  known  in  Southern  Illinois.  Dr.  Duff  Green, 
founder  of  the  state  branch  of  the  family,  served  for  some  years  as 
lieutenant  in  the  regular  army.  During  the  War  of  1812.  he  held 
the  rank  of  surgeon  in  Barbee's  regiment,  Kentucky  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, and  made  a  fine  record  for  gallantry  and  usefulness.  At  a 
subsequent  period  he  located  at  Danville,  Kentucky,  where  he  prac- 
ticed medicine  until  the  summer  of  1 844,  when  he  removed  to  Pu- 
laski, Tennessee.  Two  years  later  he  migrated  to  Mount  Vernon,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  ended  his  days  at  the  age  of  seventy-three.  His  wife, 
Lucy,  survived  him  many  years,  being  eighty-three  years  old  at  the 
time  of  her  death.  He  left  a  son,  Willis  Duff  Green,  who  was  des- 
tined to  achieve  professional  eminence  and  become  one  of  the  most 
eminent  men  of  his  day.  Born  in  Kentucky,  he  received  his  scholas- 
tic education  at  Centre  College,  in  his  native  town  and  entered  Tran- 
sylvania University  at  Lexington  to  take  an  initial  course  in  the  study 
of  medicine.  Later  he  became  a  student  at  the  Cincinnati  Medical 
College  and  graduated  from  that  institution  in  the  class  of  1844. 
Shortly  afterward  he  located  at  Mount  Vernon,  where,  for  nearly 


398  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

half  a  century  he  was  recognized  as  the  leading  physician.     He  was 
one  of  the  most  successful  practitioners  in  the  Southern  part  of  the 
state  and  became  widely  famed  for  his  skill  and  ability.     He  was 
president  of  the  company  which  built  the  first  railroad  into  Mount 
Vernon  and  in  many  ways  exhibited  his  public  spirit.     He  was  a 
prominent  Odd  Fellow — became  Grand  Master  of  the  state  in  1 858 
and  was  sent  as  grand  representative  to  the  national  convention  of 
the  order  in  1 859.    For  many  years  he  was  a  conspicuous  leader  in 
Democratic  politics  and  was  delegate  to  the  national  convention  that 
nominated  Samuel  J.  Tilden  for  the  Presidency  in  1876.     In  1845 
he  was  married  in  Kentucky  to  Corinna  L.,  daughter  of  Isaac  Mor- 
ton, a  prominent  merchant  of  Hartford.     By  this  union  there  were 
ten  children,  several  of  whom  rose  to  distinction.    Alfred  M.  Green, 
the  eldest,  served  as  State's  Attorney  of  Jefferson  county  and  as  a 
member  of  the  Legislature.     At  present  he  is  a  leading  lawyer  of 
Gainesville,  Texas.     Earl  Green,  the  fourth  son  in  order  of  birth, 
now  a  prominent  physician  of  Mount  Vernon,  was  graduated  from 
the  University  of  Michigan  and  Bellevue  College  in  New  York  and 
later  studied  medicine  in  Vienna,  Paris  and  London.    Inez  I.  Green, 
the  eldest  daughter,  is  an  instructor  in  the  Southern  Illinois  Normal 
at  Carbondale.     Among  the  other  children  are  Duff,  Laura  Reed, 
Cora  Lee,  Minnie  and  Maidelyn  F.    William  H.  Green,  the  second 
son,  was  born  at  Mount  Vernon,  Jefferson  county,  Illinois.     After 
the  usual  course  in  the  public  schools  he  entered  the  Law  School  at 
Ann  Arbor,  Michigan,  from  which  in  due  time  he  obtained  his  de- 
gree as  Bachelor  of  Laws.     Shortly  afterward  he  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  of  his  native  city  and  served  one  term  as  Master  in  Chancery. 
In  1 882  he  was  elected  City  Attorney  and  while  serving  in  this  office 
was  elected  State's  Attorney  in  1 884,  re-elected  in  1 888.  and  filled 
the  place  altogether  for  eight  years.     In  1 894  he  was  elected  to  the 
Legislature  from  his  district  and  became  recognized  as  one  of  the 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  399 

most  forceful  speakers  of  the  body.  He  is  an  ardent  Democrat 
and  has  always  taken  an  active  part  in  politics  of  the  state.  In  1896 
Mr.  Green  was  a  delegate  to  the  Democratic  National  Convention 
at  Chicago,  when  William  Jennings  Bryan  was  first  nominated  for 
the  Presidency.  Later  Mr.  Green  was  selected  as  a  member  of  the 
Illinois  contingent  of  the  notification  committee  and  attended  the 
ceremonies  which  were  held  in  Madison  Square  Garden,  New  York. 
He  IS  one  of  the  busiest  men  of  the  Mount  Vernon  Bar,  but  his 
activities  are  by  no  means  confined  to  his  professional  duties.  He  is 
a  president  of  the  Jefferson  State  Bank  and  holds  the  same  position 
with  the  Illinois  Banker's  Fire  Insurance  Company,  of  Mount  Ver- 
non. As  a  lawyer  he  ranks  among  the  best  of  an  unusuall>  strong 
bar  and  as  a  citizen  he  stands  with  those  who  have  achieved  prom- 
inence in  the  social,  fraternal  and  political  history  of  his  county.  He 
is  a  gentleman  of  fine  address,  popular  manners,  possessed  of  ver- 
satile powers  as  a  public  speaker  and  recognized  as  a  leader  in  all 
causes. 


CHRISTOPHER  DEVALCOURT  HAM. 

Standing  out  distinctly  as  one  of  the  central  figures  in  the  his- 
tory of  Jefferson  county  is  the  name  which  introduces  this  sketch,  a 
name  better  known  perhaps  than  any  other  in  the  specific  line  of  en- 
deavor with  which  it  was  so  long  and  so  honorably  identified.  Prom- 
inent in  local  business  circles  and  equally  so  in  other  than  his  own 
field  of  effort,  with  a  reputation  in  one  of  the  most  responsible  and 
exacting  callings  which  won  him  a  name  for  distinguished  service, 
second  to  none  of  his  contemporaries  there  was  not  in  his  day  a  more 
enterprising  and  successful  man  than  Christopher  D.  Ham,  and  it  is 
with  pardonable  pride  that  the  people  of  his  native  county  revere 


400  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

his  memory  and  ascribe  to  him  high  honor  as  one  of  their  leading 
citizens.  Mr.  Ham,  for  many  years  an  influential  factor  in  the  finan- 
cial affairs  of  Jefferson  county,  belonged  to  an  old  and  widely  known 
family  whose  earliest  representatives  in  Illinois  appear  to  have  been 
Moses  and  James  Ham,  natives  of  Virginia,  who  migrated  west- 
ward in  the  pioneer  period  and  settled  in  Jefferson  county  where  in 
due  time  both  became  large  cattle  owners  and  prominent  in  public 
affairs.  Moses  Ham,  the  father  of  James,  and  grandfather  of  our 
subject,  took  an  active  part  in  county  affairs,  accumulated  a  hand- 
some competency  and  stamped  his  individuality  upon  the  community 
in  which  he  lived  as  one  of  the  influential  men  of  his  day  and  gener- 
ation. James  Ham  was  in  the  prime  of  life  when  he  came  to  Jef- 
ferson county  and  like  his  father  bore  a  prominent  part  in  the  settle- 
ment of  the  country  and  the  development  of  its  resources.  He,  too, 
became  a  noted  figure  in  the  early  history  of  the  county  and  for  a 
number  of  years  was  one  of  its  leading  citizens  and  well-to-do  men. 
In  addition  to  large  agricultural  interests  he  conducted  for  some  time 
a  very  successful  mercantile  business  and  later  established  a  tannery, 
one  of  the  first  in  the  county,  which  like  his  other  enterprises  proved 
the  source  of  a  very  liberal  income. 

Christopher  Devalcourt  Ham,  son  of  James  and  Frances 
(Crisel)  Flam,  was  born  in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  September  10, 
1838,  and  spent  his  childhood  on  the  family  homestead  at  Ham's 
Grove  near  the  site  of  the  present  town  of  Opdyke.  His  early  en- 
vironment was  conducive  to  moral  as  well  as  mental  development, 
his  home  influence  being  such  as  to  implant  in  his  mind  and  heart 
those  principles  of  rectitude  which  make  for  strong  character  and 
well  rounded  manhood,  and  while  still  young  he  laid  broad  and  deep 
the  foundation  upon  which  his  subsequent  career  was  so  solidly 
builded.  With  the  object  in  view  of  fitting  him  for  the  legal  pro- 
fession his  parents  gave  him  the  best  educational  advantages  the 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  401 

country  afforded  and  after  the  usual  intellectual  course  in  the  schools 
of  his  own  county  and  higher  institutions  elsewhere  he  entered  the 
Law  School  of  Cincinnati  and  in  due  time  was  graduated  therefrom 
with  a  creditable  record  and  was  licensed  to  practice  by  the  Supreme 
Court.  Having  no  taste  for  the  profession,  however,  he  did  not  en- 
gage in  the  practice,  but  turning  his  attention  to  a  pursuit  more  in 
harmony  with  his  inclinations  he  soon  became  one  of  the  leading 
merchants  of  Mount  Vernon  and  made  an  honorable  name  in  the 
business  world.  In  connection  with  merchandising  he  was  also  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  woolen  goods,  and  during  the  period 
of  the  Civil  war  conducted  a  very  profitable  business  in  this  line  in 
partnership  with  James  D.  Johnson,  the  firm  thus  constituted  operat- 
ing for  several  years  the  woolen  mills  at  Mount  Vernon.  After  a 
long  and  remarkably  successful  career  as  a  merchant.  Mr.  Ham 
turned  his  attention  to  another  important  business  enterprise,  having 
been  one  of  the  leading  movers  in  the  organization  of  the  old  Carlin- 
Cross  Bank,  which  subsequently  became  the  Mount  Vernon  Bank 
and  still  later  was  re-organized  as  the  Ham  National  Bank.  He 
served  as  president  of  the  institution,  always  kept  in  close  touch  with 
its  affairs  and  to  him  as  much  as  to  any  other  man  was  due  the  rapid 
growth  and  continued  success  of  the  bank,  during  the  early  years  of 
its  history. 

Mr.  Ham  was  remarkably  successful  in  his  business  affairs  and 
everything  to  which  he  devoted  his  energies  appears  to  have  worked 
to  his  advantage.  He  was  not  only  fortunate  in  a  monetary  sense 
but  also  manifested  an  abiding  interest  in  whatever  tended  to  ad- 
vance his  city  and  county  materially  and  otherwise  and  for  a  number 
of  years  took  an  active  part  in  public  matters,  serving  several  suc- 
cessive terms  as  a  member  of  the  local  school  board  besides  filling 
other  positions  of  responsibility  and  trust. 

The  maiden  name  of  Mrs.  Christopher  D.  Ham  was  Helena 
26 


402  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

Ann  Grant.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Angus  McNeil  Grant,  who 
came  to  lUinois  from  Kentucky  about  the  year  1835  and  subse- 
quently became  one  of  the  leading  business  men  of  Jefferson  county. 
Seven  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ham,  only  three  of 
whom  survive,  namely :  Mrs.  Martha  Ham  Pavey,  of  Mount  Ver- 
non, whose  husband,  Louis  G.  Pavey,  is  cashier  of  the  Ham  Na- 
tional Bank;  Sidney  Breese  Ham,  a  sketch  of  whom  appears  else- 
where, and  Grant  Taylor  Ham,  president  of  the  Mount  Vernon 
Brick  Company  and  one  of  the  city's  most  enterprising  citizens. 
Three  children  died  in  infancy  and  Bernadine  after  reaching  the 
age  of  young  womanhood.  Mr.  Ham's  distinguished  business  career 
has  few  parallels  in  the  history  of  Jefferson  county  and  he  will  live 
in  the  memory  of  his  fellow  citizens  of  Mount  Vernon  as  one  who 
contributed  liberally  toward  the  growth  of  the  city  and  gave  stabil- 
ity to  its  business  and  financial  interests.  He  died  at  Eureka  Springs, 
Arkansas,  April  I  7,  1 899,  and  left  to  his  family  and  the  community 
the  heritage  of  a  well  spent  life  and  an  honorable  name. 

Christopher  was  one  of  three  children,  a  sister  having  died 
while  still  quite  young;  and  O.  M.  D.  Ham,  of  Mount  Vernon, 
the  only  surviving  member  of  this  old  and  highly  esteemed  family 
whose  history  during  the  last  three  quarters  of  a  century  has  been 
closely  identified  with  that  of  Jefferson  county. 

Angus  McNeil  Grant,  father  of  Mrs.  C.  D.  Ham,  was  an 
early  settler  of  Jefferson  county  and  one  of  her  men  of  influence. 
His  arrival,  as  already  indicated,  was  about  the  year  1835, 
and  in  the  course  of  a  few  years  he  became  the  possessor  of  a  large 
amount  of  land,  which  soon  increased  greatly  in  value  and  to  him 
also  belongs  the  credit  of  adding  very  materially  to  the  growth  and 
business  interests  of  the  county  seat.  Soon  after  locating  at  Mount 
Vernon  he  engaged  in  merchandising  which  he  carried  on  with 
marked  success  for  a  number  of  years  and  at  one  time  he  held  the 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  iLL.  403 

office  of  County  Judge,  besides  being  honored  with  various  other 
positions  and  taking  an  influential  part  in  pubhc  affairs.  He  was 
one  of  the  organizers  and  first  president  of  the  Carhn-Cross  Bank, 
the  first  institution  of  the  kind  in  Mount  Vernon  and  for  a  number 
of  years  thereafter  kept  in  close  touch  with  monetary  affairs  and  was 
long  regarded  as  one  of  the  sound,  far-seeing  and  successful  finan- 
ciers of  Jefferson  county,  and  Southern  Illinois.  Despite  his  frail 
physique  and  modest  demeanor  he  was  an  influential  factor  in  pro- 
moting the  advancement  of  Mount  Vernon  and  the  welfare  of  the 
people  and  to  him  as  much  as  to  any  one  man  is  the  city  indebted 
for  its  continuous  growth  and  the  prosperity  for  which  it  is  now  dis- 
tinguished. Mr.  Grant  possessed  business  ability  of  a  superior  order 
and  was  also  noted  for  his  inflexible  integrity  and  the  high  sense  of 
honor  which  characterized  all  his  relations  with  his  fellow  men.  A 
man  of  noble  aims  and  high  ideals,  he  made  his  influence  felt  for 
good  in  business  as  well  as  in  social  and  religious  circles  and  for 
many  years  he  was  a  noted  character  in  his  city  and  county  and  as  a 
leader  in  the  world  of  finance. 

When  a  young  man  Mr.  Grant  married  Miss  Martha  Ander- 
son, of  Tennessee,  who  proved  a  true  wife  and  helpmeet  until  her 
lamented  death  in  the  year  1883,  and  who  bore  him  three  children: 
Mrs.  Helena  Ann  Ham,  of  Mount  Vernon;  Mrs.  M.  M.  Pool,  of 
the  same  place,  and  Mrs.  W.  C.  Pollock,  who  lives  in  Washington, 
D.  C.  Mr.  Grant's  long  connection  with  the  banking  interests  of 
Mount  Vernon  added  much  to  the  financial  credit  of  the  city  and 
gave  it  an  honorable  reputation  as  a  safe  place  for  the  judicious  in- 
vestment of  capital  as  well  as  a  desirable  and  attractive  place  of 
residence.  He  was  always  enterprising  and  public-spirited  and  gave 
his  hearty  support  to  all  enterprises  that  tended  to  the  advancement 
and  progress  of  his  fellow  men. 


404  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

CHARLES  R.  KELLER. 

This  representative  business  man  and  ex-county  official  fills  a 
conspicuous  place  in  the  public  life  of  Mount  Vernon  and  it  is  with 
no  little  satisfaction  that  the  following  brief  review  of  his  career  is  al- 
lotted a  place  among  those  of  the  leading  men  of  his  city  and  county. 
The  family  of  which  Charles  R.  Keller  is  an  honorable  representa- 
tive, is  of  Southern  origin,  and  early  in  the  eighteenth  century  the 
name  was  familiar  in  various  parts  of  North  Carolina,  the  state  in 
which  the  subject's  grandfather,  John  Keller,  was  born  and  reared. 
This  ancestor,  whose  birth  occurred  on  July  1  7,  1 804,  moved  with 
his  parents  to  Bedford  county,  Tennessee,  in  1814,  and  after  a  resi- 
dence of  about  twenty  years  in  the  latter  state  he  removed  with  his 
family  to  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  settling  in  1841  in  Elk  Prairie 
township  where  he  purchased  land  and  engaged  in  agricultural  pur- 
suits. In  1 847  he  joined  the  United  States  army  to  take  part  in  the 
war  with  Mexico,  but  shortly  after  reaching  the  scene  of  action  con- 
tracted a  disease  which  resulted  in  his  death  at  the  city  of  Jalapa, 
in  January  of  the  year  following  his  enlistment. 

Mary  Nees,  wife  of  John  Keller,  was  born  in  Lincoln  county, 
Tennessee,  in  1805,  and  departed  this  life  in  Jefferson  county,  Illi- 
nois, December,  1 869.  She  bore  her  husband  ten  children,  among 
whom  was  a  son  by  the  name  of  Willis  A.  Keller,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred in  Lincoln  county,  Tennessee,  July  1 ,  1 826,  and  who  in 
1841  accompanied  his  parents  to  Jefferson  county,  Illinois  and  grew 
to  maturity  in  Elk  Prairie  township.  Owing  to  unfavorable  circum- 
stances his  educational  training  was  but  limited  and  at  the  age  of 
ten  years  he  left  home  to  make  his  own  way  in  the  world,  by  work- 
ing on  a  farm  at  very  small  wages.  After  continuing  this  kind  of 
labor  until  his  nineteenth  year  he  married  and  set  up  a  domestic 
establishment  of  his  own  on  rented  land,  the  lady  who  became  his 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO..  ILL.  405 

wife  being  Miss  Mary  Dodds,  and  the  date  on  which  the  ceremony 
took  place,  the  7th  of  January,  1846. 

WiUis  A.  Keller  began  farming  for  himself  under  circum- 
stances which  to  most  men  would  have  been  considered  decidedly 
discouraging,  but  to  one  of  his  energy  and  optimism,  the  future  ap- 
peared bright  with  promise,  notwithstanding  the  sum  total  of  his 
earthly  capital  at  that  time  amounted  to  less  than  ten  dollars.  With 
a  determination  which  knew  no  such  word  as  fail,  he  resolutely  ad- 
dressed himself  to  his  labors,  and  in  due  time  succeeded  in  bettering 
his  condition  and  laying  the  foundation  of  a  career  which  ultimately 
resulted  in  one  of  the  largest  private  fortunes  in  his  township  and 
earning  for  him  much  more  than  local  repute  as  a  progressive  farmer 
and  public-spirited  citizen.  Mr.  Keller's  industry  became  prover- 
bial in  his  neighborhood  and  his  economy,  sound  judgment  and  excel- 
lent management  bore  their  legitimate  fruits  in  a  competency  which 
not  only  placed  him  in  independent  circumstances  but  as  stated  above 
made  him  one  of  the  financially  solid  and  reliable  men  of  the  coun- 
ty. From  the  modest  beginning  alluded  to  he  added  to  his  savings 
until  able  to  purchase  land  of  his  own  from  which  time  his  advance- 
ment was  more  rapid  and  some  idea  of  his  success  may  be  obtamed 
from  the  fact  of  his  having  accumulated  a  large  and  valuable  es- 
tate ere  he  passed  the  years  of  his  prime,  his  realty  at  one  time  in 
Jefferson  county  amounting  to  considerable  in  excess  of  one  thou- 
sand acres  of  land  to  say  nothing  of  valubale  personal  property  and 
other  private  interests  which  tended  to  augment  his  fortune.  Mrs. 
Mary  (Dodds)  Keller,  who  was  born  in  Kentucky,  November  29, 
1829,  died  in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  July,  1865,  leaving  these 
children,  namely:  Sarah  E.,  wife  of  George  W.  Yost;  Judge  C.  A. 
Keller,  of  San  Antonio,  Texas;  Amanda,  who  married  Robert 
Lloyd,  and  Minnie,  now  Mrs.  Julian  Frochock,  and  Carrie  Fly, 
wife  of  W.  S.  Fly. 


406  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

In  the  year  1866  Willis  Keller  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Mrs.  Lucy  Jane  (Adams)  Rentchler,  who  bore  him  children  as 
follows:  Mrs.  Mary  J.  Maxey,  Mrs.  Luphemia  Jones,  and  Charles 
R.  Keller,  whose  name  introduces  this  sketch,  all  living  in  Mount 
Vernon  and  highly  esteemd  by  the  best  people  of  the  city. 

Charles  R.Keller, to  a  brief  review  of  whose  career  the  reader's 
attention  is  herewith  respectfully  invited,  was  born  in  Mount  Ver- 
non on  the  18th  day  of  April,  1872,  and  spent  his  early  life  in  the 
city  and  on  his  father's  farm,  his  experience  in  the  country  having  a 
decided  influence  in  fostering  habits  of  industry  and  teaching  les- 
sons of  self-reliance  which  subsequently  resulted  so  greatly  to  his 
advantage.  At  the  proper  age  he  entered  the  public  schools  of  his 
native  place,  between  which  and  the  country  districts  he  devoted 
the  time  until  completing  the  prescribed  course  when  he  became  a 
student  in  the  Southern  Illinois  Normal  School  at  Carbondale,  where 
he  prosecuted  his  studies  for  a  period  of  two  years,  during  which 
time  he  made  commendable  progress  and  earned  a  creditable  record. 
On  leaving  the  above  institution  Mr.  Keller  yielded  to  a  predilec- 
tion in  favor  of  a  business  life,  accepting  a  clerkship  with  the  mer- 
cantile firm  of  Culli  Brothers  &  McAtee,  of  Mount  Vernon,  in 
whose  employ  he  continued  from  1890  until  1896,  when  he  re- 
signed his  position  to  enter  upon  his  duties  as  Clerk  of  the  Circuit 
Court,  to  which  office  he  was  elected  in  the  fall  of  the  latter  year. 
From  his  youth  he  had  manifested  a  lively  interest  in  public  affairs 
and  on  attaining  his  majority  became  influential  in  political  circles 
and  one  of  the  rising  young  Democrats  of  Jefferson  county,  and 
when  it  became  necessary  to  select  a  candidate  for  the  important 
and  responsible  office  of  Circuit  Clerk,  attention  was  directed  to  him 
as  the  most  available  man  to  select,  and  it  was  not  long  until  his 
party  friends  rallied  to  his  support  and  his  nomination,  his  election 
following  as  a  matter  of  course,  not  altogether,  however,  on  account 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  407 

of  the  normally  large  Democratic  majority  but  by  reason  of  his 
great  personal  popularity  and  eminent  fitness  for  the  position  as 
well. 

Mr.  Keller's  official  career  proving  creditable  to  himself  and 
acceptable  to  the  public  he  was  renominated  at  the  expiration  of  his 
term  and  in  the  election  of  1900  was  again  victorious,  defeating  his 
competitor  by  a  decisive  majority  and  during  his  second  incumbency 
proving  an  able  and  faithful  public  servant  whose  record  fully  met 
the  expectations  of  the  people.  On  retiring  from  the  clerkship  Mr. 
Keller  devoted  two  years  to  the  grocery  business  but  at  the  expira- 
tion of  that  time  severed  his  connection  with  merchandising  and  in 
1906  entered  the  Ham  National  Bank  as  assistant  cashier,  which 
position  he  still  worthily  holds.  In  his  present  capacity  as  in  his 
official  relations  with  the  public  he  discharges  his  duties  in  the  faith- 
ful and  conscientious  manner  characteristic  of  the  man,  demonstrat- 
ing clerical  abilities  of  a  high  order  and  a  familiarity  with  finance 
and  matters  relating  thereto  which  render  his  services  especially  valu- 
able to  the  management  of  the  institution  with  which  he  is  identified. 

Mr.  Keller  is  a  gentleman  of  high  character  and  strict  integ- 
rity whose  worth  has  been  duly  appreciated  and  rewarded  and 
whose  name  has  ever  been  above  the  suspicion  of  dishonor.  The 
universal  esteem  in  which  he  is  held  by  the  people  of  his  city  and 
county  bears  eloquent  testimony  to  his  many  sterling  qualities  while 
the  honors  conferred  upon  him  by  his  fellow  citizens  and  the  con- 
fidence reposed  in  him  by  his  present  employers  show  him  to  be 
loyal  to  every  trust  and  worthy  of  the  support  and  confidence  with 
which  he  is  regarded.  Despite  the  fact  of  his  never  having,  assumed 
the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  the  marriage  relation  Mr.  Keller 
is  an  influential  factor  in  the  social  life  of  Mount  Vernon  and  takes 
an  active  interest  in  all  movements  having  for  their  object  the  ame- 
lioration of  the  human  ills,  and  the  general  prosperity  and  welfare 


408  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

of  the  body  politic.  Fraternally  he  is  identified  with  the  Knights 
of  Pythias,  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles, 
in  all  of  which  organizations  he  takes  a  leading  part  besides  being 
honored  with  important  positions  from  time  to  time. 


JOHN  STEWART  BOG  AN. 

An  enumeration  of  the  men  who  won  honor  and  public  recogni- 
tion and  added  to  the  reputation  of  the  communities  in  which  they 
acted  their  parts  in  life  would  be  incomplete  without  specific  men- 
tion of  the  well  remembered  citizen  whose  career  is  briefly  reviewed 
in  the  following  lines — a  gentleman,  who,  by  the  master  strokes  of 
strong  mentality,  backed  by  sheer  force  of  will,  rose  to  an  honorable 
position  in  Jefferson  county  and  achieved  more  than  local  prom- 
inence in  the  various  lines  of  activity  to  which  his  energies  were  de- 
voted. John  Stewart  Bogan  was  a  native  of  Shenandoah  county, 
Virginia,  and  the  oldest  of  a  family  of  twelve  children,  whose  par- 
ents, Benjamin  and  Sarah  A.  (Ott)  Bogan,  were  also  born  in  the 
Old  Dominion  state,  the  father  in  Spottsylvania  county,  December 
30,  1795,  the  mother  in  the  town  of  Woodstock  on  April  18th  of 
the  year  1801.  The  subject,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Woodstock 
on  the  6th  day  of  March,  1820,  spent  his  early  hfe  in  his  native 
town,  but  when  a  mere  youth  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  re- 
moval to  Washington,  D.  C,  where  in  due  time  he  entered  upon 
an  apprenticeship  to  learn  the  printer's  trade.  The  office  in  which 
he  laid  the  foundation  for  his  subsequent  career  as  a  journalist  was 
conducted  by  Blair  &  Reed,  one  of  the  old  reliable  publishing  firms 
of  the  national  capital,  the  Washington  Globe,  which  they  issued. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  409 

having  long  been  one  of  the  most  noted  and  influential  political  news- 
papers in  the  United  States.  Frank  P.  Blair,  one  of  the  editors  at 
that  time,  one  of  the  strong  and  forceful  men  in  the  field  of  journa- 
lism, subsequently  became  a  prominent  figure  in  public  affairs,  serv- 
ing with  distinction  as  major-general  during  the  War  of  the  Re- 
bellion, and  afterwards  achieving  an  honorable  record  in  the  Na- 
tional Congress,  besides  running  for  the  Vice-Presidency  on  the 
ticket  with  Horatio  Seymour.  During  John  S.  Bogan's  apprentice- 
ship, he  became  well  acquainted  with  many  of  the  distinguished 
men  of  the  country  and  it  frequently  fell  to  him  to  carry  proof  sheets 
to  such  public  characters  as  Henry  Clay,  General  McComb,  secre- 
tary of  the  treasury;  Gen.  Lewis  Cass,  secretary  of  war;  John  For- 
sythe,  secretary  of  state,  and  a  number  of  others  who  contributed 
articles  to  the  Globe,  and  bore  leading  parts  in  the  history  of  the 
nation  at  that  time.  After  completing  his  period  of  service  and  be- 
coming a  proficient  typo,  Mr.  Bogan  took  a  case  in  the  office  of  the 
Globe  and  at  the  end  of  four  years  resigned  his  position  on  account 
of  ill  health  and  about  1 843  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  a  few 
miles  from  the  Capital  City.  Thinking  to  better  his  condition  in 
the  West  where  he  was  satisfied  more  favorable  opportunities 
awaited  young  men  with  ambition  to  rise  in  the  world  Mr.  Bogan 
after  a  few  years  disposed  of  his  interests  in  Maryland  and  came 
to  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  casting  his  lot  among  the  people  at 
Grand  Prairie,  where  he  resumed  farming  and  continued  to  reside 
until  1851,  when  he  gave  up  the  pursuit  of  agriculture  and  moved 
to  Mount  Vernon.  Shortly  after  locating  at  the  seat  of  justice,  he 
established  the  first  newspaper  ever  published  in  Jefferson  county, 
giving  to  the  new  publication  the  appropriate  name  of  "The  Jef- 
fersonian,"  and  bringing  to  the  enterprise  a  practical  experience 
which  augured  well  for  its  success.  Under  his  able  business  and 
editorial  management,  the  paper  grew  steadily,  if  at  first  somewhat 


410  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

slowly  in  public  favor,  but  during  the  succeeding  two  years  the  cir- 
culation and  advertising  patronage  were  such  as  to  put  the  enter- 
prise on  a  paying  basis,  and  it  became  a  welcome  visitor  to  the  ma- 
jority of  homes  in  the  county,  and  quite  popular. 

Through  the  medium  of  the  Jeffersonian  Mr.  Bogan  soon  be- 
came one  of  the  influential  party  leaders  of  the  county,  the  name  of 
the  paper  indicating  his  political  faith,  and  giving  him  prestige  in 
local  Democratic  circles.     In  recognition  of  valuable  political  ser- 
vices, he  was  nominated  in  1 854  for  the  office  of  Clerk  of  the  Cir- 
cuit Court,  and  his  triumphant  election  the  same  year  and  the  able 
and  faithful  manner  in  which  he  conducted  the  office  during  his 
first  term  paved  the  way  for  subsequent  re-nominations  as  is  indicated 
by  the  fact  that  during  the  thirty-four  years  ensuing  he  was  regularly 
re-elected  to  the  position  and  held  it  with  credit  to  himself  and  to  the 
entire  satisfaction  of  the  public.  Mr.  Bogan's  continuous  retention  in 
one  of  the  most  responsible  offices  within  the  gift  of  the  people  at- 
tests the  high  esteem  in  which  he  was  held,  regardless  of  party  ties, 
the  most  signal  instance  of  public  confidence  being  afforded  by  the 
campaign  of  1 860,  when  his  election  lacked  but  three  votes  of  being 
unanimous.     On  learning  the  result  of  this  election  his  father,  then 
living  in  Washington  City,  was  so  elated  that  he  showed  the  returns 
to  his  warm  personal  and  political  friend  Hon.  Stephen  A,  Doug- 
las, with  the  comment  that,  "His  scrub  boy  in  Illinois  could  make  a 
much  better  race  for  his  office  than  the  popular  'Little  Giant'  could 
for  the  Presidency."     Mr.  Bogan  proved  an  able  and  popular  offi- 
cial and  his  long  period  of  service  during  which  his  duty  was  ever 
worthily  discharged,  and  his  record  above  criticism,  has  few,  if  any 
parallels,  in  the  history  of  the  state.     In  addition  to  his  official  func- 
tions he  took  an  active  interest  in  other  enterprises  and  put  forth 
every  effort  at  his  command  to  promote  the  material  prosperity  of 
Mount  Vernon  and  Jefferson  county  and  the  welfare  of  the  people. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  41  1 

On  voluntarily  retiring  from  the  clerkship  in  1 888  he  turned  his  at- 
tention to  other  lines  of  business  and  from  that  time  until  his  la- 
mented death  he  was  a  prominent  and  influential  figure  in  the  civic 
life  of  the  community  and  a  leader  in  public  affairs.  He  assisted 
in  establishing  the  Jefferson  County  Agricultural  Society  and  for  a 
period  of  thirty  years  served  as  its  secretary  and  to  him  also  belongs 
the  credit  of  being  one  of  the  founders  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
church  of  Mount  Vernon  and  an  early  member  of  the  Lodge,  No. 
13,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  of  the  same  city.  He  al- 
ways looked  after  the  interests  of  these  organizations  and  contributed 
as  much  perhaps  as  any  other  man  to  their  growth  and  success  and 
as  an  humble  and  sincere  Christian  his  everyday  life  beautifully 
exemplified  the  teachings  of  the  great  head  of  the  church  and  in- 
duced many  to  abandon  the  ways  of  sin  and  seek  the  higher  way 
which  leads  to  happiness  and  peace. 

On  September  20,  1842,  in  Montgomery  county,  Maryland, 
John  S.  Bogan  and  Louisa  M.  Brunet  were  united  in  the  holy  bonds 
of  wedlock,  the  ceremony  being  solemnized  by  the  Rev.  John  C. 
Smith,  a  distinguished  Presbyterian  divine  of  Washington  City,  and 
for  several  years  a  warm  friend  and  trusted  adviser  of  President 
Lincoln.  This  union,  which  proved  almost  ideally  happy,  resulted 
in  the  birth  of  eleven  children,  and  was  terminated  by  the  hand  of 
death  several  years  after  the  devoted  and  beloved  old  couple  had 
celebrated  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  their  marriage.  The  names  of 
the  children  born  to  them,  all  of  whom  are  living,  are  as  follows: 
Mrs.  Sarah  E.  Goodale,  Mrs.  Mary  C.  Goodrich,  Mrs.  Anna  L. 
Pace,  W.  V.  Bogan  and  J.  F.  Bogan. 

Mr.  Bogan  departed  this  life  February  19,  1900,  and  his  death 
was  the  occasion  of  universal  sorrow  throughout  Jefferson  county, 
in  all  parts  of  which  he  was  well  known  and  highly  esteemed.  The 
following  tribute  to  his  worth  as  a  man  and  citizen  which  appeared 


412  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

in  the  Mount  Vernon  News  immediately  after  his  demise  is  ap- 
propriate in  this  connection: 

"When  Uncle  Johnny  Bogan  breathed  his  last,  one  of  na- 
ture's noblemen  and  one  of  Jefferson  county's  grand  old  men  passed 
to  his  eternal  reward.  No  man  was  better  known  and  more  highly 
respected  by  all  classes  and  conditions  of  our  people.  He  was  a 
firm  and  steadfast  friend,  and  is  not  known  to  have  had  an  enemy 
in  the  world.  He  did  not  measure  men  by  their  standing  in  society 
or  the  official  positions  they  occupied  or  the  wealth  of  this  world's 
goods  they  possessed,  and  while  he  numbered  as  his  friends  all  in 
these  circles  with  whom  he  had  an  acquaintance,  he  was  the  especial 
friend  and  champion  of  the  poor  and  lowly,  the  down  trodden  and 
oppressed.  No  one  of  this  class  ever  appealed  to  him  in  vain  for 
sympathy  or  assistance.  He  made  lots  of  money  in  his  time  but 
invariably  divided  to  the  last  farthing  with  the  needy  and  suffering, 
and  died  a  comparatively  poor  man.  The  death  of  such  a  public 
benefactor  is  of  course  universally  regretted.  His  whole  life  was 
devoted  to  making  others  happy.  He  lost  sight  of  self  and  abso- 
lutely stinted  himself  that  he  might  contribute  to  the  relief  of  others." 


JOHN  R.  ALLEN. 


A  prominent  citizen  and  successful  business  man,  of  Mount 
Vernon.  Few  residents  of  Jefferson  county  are  as  well  known  and 
highly  esteemed  as  J.  R.  Allen,  to  whom  more,  perhaps,  than  to  any 
other  is  the  city  indebted  for  its  present  reputation  as  an  important 
business  center,  and  the  county  for  the  continuous  prosperity  which 
has  characterized  its  history  in  recent  years.  Mr.  Allen  has  been  a 
life  long  resident  of  Jefferson  county  and  belongs  to  one  of  the  oldest 
families  in  this  part  of  Illinois.  When  the  country  was  still  a  wilder- 
ness, in  which  dwelt  wild  animals  and  trodden  by  the  feet  of  the 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  413 

savage,  one,  Rhodam  Allen,  a  native  of  Tennessee,  and  a  typical 
pioneer,  settled  in  what  is  now  known  as  Jefferson  county  in  1819. 
At  the  time  of  his  arrival  there  were  only  a  few  sparse  settlements 
within  the  present  bounds  of  the  county  and  during  the  first  few 
years  he  experienced  all  the  hardships  and  vicissitudes  incident  to  life 
in  a  new  and  undeveloped  country.  He  died  many  years  ago 
and  was  the  first  person  laid  to  rest  in  the  Old  Union  grave  yard, 
the  first  place  in  Jefferson  county  consecrated  to  the  burial  of  the 
dead. 

Rev.  Rhodam  Allen,  a  son  of  the  above,  came  to  Jefferson 
county  with  his  parents  and  in  due  time  became  one  of  the  most 
noted  Methodist  divines  of  his  day.  He  was  among  the  first  to 
preach  the  Gospel  in  this  part  of  Illinois  and  during  a  long,  active 
and  very  successful  ministry  organized  a  number  of  churches  in  var- 
ious parts  of  the  state  and  led  thousands  of  his  fellow  men  into  the 
kingdom  of  God.  He  nas  not  only  a  preacher  of  wide  repute  and 
much  more  than  ordinary  ability  and  power,  but  was  honored  as  a 
citizen  and  a  leader  in  many  important  enterprises.  He  was  called 
from  the  scenes  of  his  earthly  labors  amid  triumphs  after  a  long  and 
useful  life,  dying  early  in  the  fifties  and  leaving  to  his  descendants 
the  memory  of  an  honored  name  which  they  value  as  a  priceless 
heritage. 

Among  the  children  of  Rev.  Rhodam  Allen  was  a  son  by  the 
name  of  George  W.,  who  was  born  in  Tennessee  in  1810,  and  at 
the  age  of  nine  came  to  Illinois  with  his  parents  and  from  that  time 
until  death,  in  the  year  1 866,  was  an  honored  and  influential  citi- 
zen of  Jefferson  county.  Eliza  M.  Daniels,  wife  of  George  Allen, 
was  born  in  Kentucky  and  spent  the  greater  part  of  her  life  in  Jef- 
ferson county,  Illinois,  and  survived  her  husband  but  a  short  time, 
dying  in  1867.  This  couple  were  the  parents  of  eight  children 
whose  names  are  as  follows:  Caroline  P.  died  in  the  year  1908; 
John  R.,  whose  name  introduces  this  sketch;  Mary,  deceased;  Mrs. 


414  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

Sarah  Ferguson;  Thomas  C. ;  Charles  Wesley,  deceased;  Juliet  O., 
deceased;  and  an  infant  son  that  died  unnamed. 

John  R.  Allen  was  born  October  1 0,  1 836,  in  Jefferson  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  and  spent  his  early  years  in  close  touch  with  nature  on 
the  farm,  where  he  learned  the  lessons  of  industry  and  thrift  and 
self-reliance,  which  had  much  to  do  in  shaping  his  subsequent  life. 
In  the  country  school  near  the  homestead  he  obtained  a  knowledge  of 
the  common  English  branches  and  later  attended  a  six-months  term 
in  Mount  Vernon,  which  terminated  his  educational  experiences. 
Reared  to  agricultural  pursuits  and  to  habits  of  industry  he  bore  his 
part  in  the  cultivating  of  the  farm  and  like  a  dutiful  son  with  the 
interests  of  his  parents  at  heart,  did  not  leave  home  on  attaining  his 
majority  as  most  young  men  do,  but  remained  with  his  father  until 
his  twenty-fifth  year,  taking  upon  himself  many  of  the  latter's  bur- 
dens and  responsibilities.  In  1861,  when  treason  grew  bold  and 
threatened  to  disrupt  the  Union,  Mr.  Allen  did  not  long  hesitate  be- 
tween the  comforts  and  restfulness  of  home  and  the  hardships  and 
dangers  of  war;  appreciating  the  perils  which  menaced  the  govern- 
ment he  enlisted  that  year  in  the  Sixtieth  Illinois  Infantry  and  within 
a  comparatively  short  time  accompanied  his  command  to  the  front 
where  during  the  three  years  following  he  shared  with  his  comrades 
all  the  varied  experiences  of  camp-march,  campaign  and  battle, 
throughout  all  of  which  he  discharged  his  duty  ably  and  faithfully 
and  earned  an  honorable  record  as  a  defender  of  the  flag.  His  regi- 
ment was  in  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  and  he  took  part  in  all 
the  battles  in  which  it  was  engaged,  including  Missionary  Ridge, 
Dalton,  Rocky-face  Gap,  and  other  engagements  of  the  Atlanta 
campaign,  receiving  in  the  action  last  named  a  painful  gunshot 
wound  in  the  hand.  After  the  fall  of  Atlanta  he  marched  with 
Sherman's  army  to  the  sea,  and  at  the  close  of  the  war  returned  to 
Jefferson  county  and  in  a  short  time  thereafter  engaged  in  merchan- 
dising at  Mount  Vernon,  where  during  the  fifteen  years  ensuing  he 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  415 

did  a  thriving  trade  and  became  one  of  the  leading  business  men  of 
the  city. 

At  the  expiration  of  the  time  indicated  Mr.  Allen  embarked 
in  the  grain  business  in  connection  with  which  he  also  operated  a 
mill,  the  two  enterprises  engaging  his  attention  for  a  period  of  four- 
teen years  and  proving  very  profitable.  Possessing  mature  judgment 
and  business  ability  of  a  high  order  he  so  managed  his  various  in- 
terests as  to  realize  liberal  returns  and  at  the  end  of  the  time  was 
enabled  to  discontmue  dealing  in  gram  and  to  retire  with  a  comfort- 
able competency,  though  he  still  retains  his  milling  interests  besides 
being  identified  with  several  local  enterprises  which  yield  him  an 
ample  income.  In  1901  he  assisted  in  organizing  the  Third  National 
Bank  of  Mount  Vernon  and  was  elected  the  first  president  of  the  in- 
stitution. In  office  he  demonstrated  rare  executive  capacity  and  did 
much  to  popularize  the  institution  and  make  it  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful banks  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state.  He  is  still  a  member 
of  the  board  of  directors  and  as  such  devotes  considerable  atten- 
tion to  financial  matters  causing  his  services  to  be  greatly  appreciated 
by  officials  and  stockholders  and  others  interested  in  the  institution. 

Mr.  Allen  was  also  an  influential  spirit  in  establishing  the 
Mount  Vernon  Car  Manufacturing  Company,  one  of  the  largest  in- 
dustrial enterprises  in  the  city,  and  has  been  a  director  of  the  same 
^ver  since  it  began  operations.  He  is  president  of  the  Mount  Ver- 
non Ice  &  Storage  Company,  sustains  the  same  relation  to  the  Jef- 
ferson Milling  Company.  In  addition  to  these  interests  he  also  owns 
considerable  real  estate.  His  business  career  has  been  characterized 
by  continuous  prosperity  and  he  is  now  one  of  the  solid  men  of  the 
city  and  county  with  a  reputation  in  financial  circles  much  more  than 
local. 

As  a  citizen  he  ranks  among  the  most  enterprising  and  prog- 
ressive in  this  part  of  the  state,  being  wide-awake  and  public-spirited, 
alive  to  every  interest  calculated  to  promote  the  advancement  of  the 


416  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

community  and  benefit  his  fellow  men.  Although  practically  retired 
so  far  as  active  participation  in  business  is  concerned  he  keeps  in 
close  touch  with  the  world  of  affairs  and  the  trend  of  modern 
thoughts,  being  well  informed  on  the  leading  questions  and  issues 
before  the  people  and  an  intelligent  observer  whose  counsel  and 
advise  on  many  subjects  carry  weight  and  influence. 

The  domestic  chapter  in  Mr.  Allen's  history  dates  from  1876, 
when  he  was  united  in  the  bonds  of  wedlock  with  Miss  Belle 
Maxey,  the  daughter  of  Charles  H.  and  Sarah  Maxey,  of  Mount 
Vernon,  the  Maxey's  being  among  the  prominent  pioneer  families 
of  Jefferson  county  and  for  many  years  actively  identified  with  the 
growth  and  development  of  the  country. 

Four  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Allen,  two  of 
whom  are  living,  viz.,  Albert,  of  Mount  Vernon,  and  Alice,  who 
married  Dr.  Charles  W.  Hall,  one  of  the  leading  physicians  and 
surgeons  of  the  city,  Mrs.  Hall  being  the  youngest  of  the  family,  and 
her  brother  third  in  order  of  birth.  Herbert  and  George  H.,  both 
deceased,  were  the  oldest  children. 

Mr.  Allen  is  a  Republican  and  well  versed  in  politics,  but 
aside  from  servmg  several  terms  as  Alderman  has  held  no  elective 
office  nor  aspired  to  public  position.  He  belongs  to  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic  and  is  a  consistent  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  with  which  religious  body  his  wife  and  children 
are  also  identified. 


G.  GALE  GILBERT. 


As  a  lawyer  and  public  official,  G.  Gale  Gilbert,  of  Mount 
Vernon,  ranks  with  the  distinguished  citizens  of  Jefferson  county 
and  occupies  a  conspicuous  place  among  the  leading  men  of  his  pro- 
fession in  Southern  Illinois.     No  other  resident  of  the  community  is 


G.  GALE  GILBERT. 


vi\\\^^^'' 


0^ 


,\\^ 


v.Ot*^^"^ 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   !LL.  417 

more  actively  identified  with  its  development  and  progress  and  none 
has  so  indelibly  impressed  his  personality  upon  the  city  of  his  resi- 
dence or  exercised  a  stronger  influence  in  directing  enterprises  which 
tend  to  the  advancement  of  its  business  interests.  The  Gilbert  fam- 
ily is  am.ong  the  oldest  in  this  part  of  the  state,  its  history  and  the 
history  of  Jefferson  county,  being  very  closely  interwoven  ever  since 
the  pioneer  period.  The  first  of  the  name  of  which  anything  definite 
is  known,  appears  to  have  been  one  Eli  Gilbert,  a  native  of  Maine 
and  a  representative  of  one  of  the  old  English  families  of  that  com- 
monwealth. He  migrated  to  Ohio  many  years  ago,  in  which  state 
his  son,  Philo  Gilbert,  grandfather  of  the  subject,  was  born  and 
reared.  Shortly  after  Southern  Illinois  was  opened  for  settlement, 
Philo  Gilbert  moved  to  Jefferson  county,  purchased  a  tract  of  gov- 
ernment land  in  what  is  now  McClellan  township  and  in  due  time  de- 
veloped a  good  farm  and  became  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  the 
community.  He  was  among  the  first  settlers  of  the  above  township, 
took  an  active  part  in  opening  the  county's  resources  and  as  an  en- 
terprising man  of  affairs,  weilded  a  wide  influence  and  was  univer- 
sally respected.  Among  his  children  was  a  son  by  the  name  of 
James  Eli  Gilbert,  whose  birth  occurred  on  the  family  homestead  in 
McClellan  township  and  who  also  became  a  tiller  of  the  soil  and  a 
citizen  of  much  more  than  average  intelligence  and  influence.  A 
successful  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  he  was  also  an  active  participant 
in  public  affairs,  having  served  the  people  of  his  township  in  various 
official  positions,  including  among  others  that  of  School  Treasurer 
and  Tax  Collector  and  some  time  in  the  "eighties"  he  was  the  Re- 
publican nominee  for  County  Treasurer,  but  failed  of  election  by 
reason  of  the  overwhelming  strength  of  the  opposition.  He  was  a 
man  of  strong  character,  honorable  in  all  of  his  dealings  and  was 
always  held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  his  neighbors  and  fellow  citi- 
zens. He  spent  his  entire  life  near  the  place  of  his  birth  and  was 
called  from  earth  August  28,  1 889. 

27 


418  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

Susan  Ford,  wife  of  James  E.  Gilbert,  was  born  in  Jefferson 
county,  Illinois,  and  departed  this  life  in  the  year  i  880.  Her  father, 
Solomon  Ford,  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  moved  his  family  to 
Jefferson  county  in  an  early  day  and  here  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
life,  living  to  an  advanced  age.  The  reputation  of  his  family  is  sec- 
ond to  that  of  no  other  in  the  county.  James  E.  and  Susan  Gilbert 
were  the  parents  of  five  children,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  being  the 
oldest  of  the  family.  The  others  are:  Mrs.  Eunice  S.  Louth,  of 
Mount  Vernon ;  John  P.  Gilbert,  a  professor  in  the  State  University 
at  Urbana;  Mrs.  Hattie  C.  Schaffer,  of  Princeton,  Indiana;  and 
Menzis  E.  Gilbert,  a  druggist,  of  Jacksonville,  this  state.  Some 
time  after  the  death  of  the  mother  of  these  children,  Mr.  Gilbert 
married  Emily  A.  Gillett,  of  Saline  county,  Illinois,  who  bore  him 
three  children,  namely:  Arthur,  of  Centralia,  and  Mrs.  Gertrude 
Farris  and  Glen  Gilbert,  of  Mount  Vernon. 

G.  Gale  Gilbert,  whose  birth  occurred  in  McClellan  township 
on  the  27th  of  November,  1867,  spent  his  early  life  on  the  family 
homestead  and  while  still  a  lad  became  familiar  with  the  rugged 
duties  of  the  farm.  Reared  under  wholesome  home  influences,  he 
early  acquired  habits  of  industry  and  grew  up  with  a  proper  appre- 
ciation of  the  dignity  of  honest  toil.  At  the  proper  age  he  attended 
the  public  schools  of  his  neighborhood  and  later  took  a  high  school 
course  in  Mount  Vernon,  the  discipline  thus  received  being  after- 
wards supplemented  by  a  more  thorough  training  in  the  Southern 
Illinois  University  at  Carbondale,  where  he  made  commendable 
progress  in  his  studies  and  earned  an  honorable  record  as  a  diligent 
and  enterprising  student. 

Having  decided  to  make  the  legal  profession  his  life  work,  Mr. 
Gilbert,  shortly  after  finishing  his  scholastic  education,  entered  the 
office  of  N.  H.  Moss,  of  Mount  Vernon,  under  whose  able  in- 
struction he  continued  until  his  admission  to  the  bar  on  May  7,  1891 , 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  419 

since  which  date  he  has  forged  rapidly  to  the  front  as  a  capable 
lawyer  and  judicious  practitioner,  being  at  this  time  recognized  as 
one  of  the  leading  members  of  his  profession  m  the  field  to  which 
his  talents  are  principally  confined.  His  career  presents  a  series  of 
continued  successes  such  as  few  men  of  his  age  and  experience  at- 
tain and  during  the  last  ten  years,  few  important  cases  have  been 
tried  in  the  courts  of  Jefferson  county  m  which  he  has  not  appeared 
as  counsel,  besides  being  interested  in  a  large  and  growing  legal  busi- 
ness in  neighbormg  counties. 

Mr.  Gilbert  has  never  ceased  being  a  student,  and  his  aim  has 
been  to  become  a  good  lawyer  and  stand  as  near  as  possible  in  the 
very  front  ranks  of  his  profession.  To  this  end  he  keeps  in  close 
touch  with  the  trend  of  current  legal  thought  and  familiar  with  the 
leading  authorities,  this  with  his  knowledge  of  the  basic  principles 
of  jurisprudence  and  the  ability  to  apply  the  same  to  practice,  en- 
abling him  to  cope  with  the  ablest  of  opposmg  counsel  and  in  the 
majority  of  cases  to  gain  verdicts  for  his  clients.  He  is  careful  and 
methodical  in  the  preparation  of  legal  papers  and  their  presentation 
to  the  court  are  very  thorough  in  the  matters  of  detail  as  well  as  in 
the  general  principles  of  his  cases,  while  his  ability  as  an  advocate 
makes  him  a  formidable,  though  at  all  times  a  fair  and  courteous 
adversary. 

Mr.  Gilbert  served  from  1905  to  1907  as  City  Attorney  of 
Mount  Vernon  and  in  1 896  was  the  Republican  nominee  for  Prose- 
cuting Attorney  for  Jefferson  county,  but  failed  of  election  on  ac- 
count of  the  then  normally  strong  Democratic  majority.  He  is  an 
active  and  influential  politician,  a  trusted  leader  of  the  Republican 
party  in  his  own  and  other  Southern  Illinois  counties,  besides  enjoy- 
ing a  wide  acquaintance  in  political  circles  throughout  the  state.  In 
addition  to  his  general  practice,  he  is  attorney  for  various  enterprises. 


420  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

among  which  are  the  Mount  Vernon  Car  Manufacturing  Company, 
the  Third  National  Bank,  of  which  is  also  a  director,  the  Citizens 
Gas,  Electric  &  Heating  Company,  and  the  Mount  Vernon  Loan 
&  Building  Association.  He  is  also  a  director  of  I.  G.  Gee  &  Co. 
Bank  at  Waltonville,  and  sustains  a  similar  relation  to  the  banks 
of  Woodlawn  and  Kell,  his  connection  with  these  several  interests 
indicating  the  confidence  which  the  management  repose  in  his  abil- 
ity and  judgment,  besides  being  a  compliment  to  his  high  standing  as 
a  faithful  and  honorable  business  man.  In  addition  to  his  successes 
in  his  profession  and  in  politics  Mr.  Gilbert  is  a  capable  and  pros- 
perous business  man. 

In  the  year  1906  Mr.  Gilbert  was  appointed  postmaster  of 
Mount  Vernon  and  has  since  conducted  the  office  with  his  char- 
acteristic business  ability,  discharging  the  duties  with  credit  to  him- 
self and  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  public.  Since  taking  charge 
of  the  office,  he  has  made  many  changes  and  mtroduced  a  number 
of  reforms  and  it  is  now  conceded  by  all  with  any  knowledge  of 
postal  affairs  as  well  as  by  the  department,  to  be  one  of  the  most 
methodical  and  best  managed  offices  in  the  state. 

Mr.  Gilbert  was  married  m  April,  1893,  to  Miss  Catherine 
Harman,  of  Jefferson  county,  daughter  of  the  late  John  Q.  Har- 
man,  a  former  prominent  citizen  of  the  county  and  the  first  Clerk  of 
the  Appellate  Court  at  Mount  Vernon,  of  which  position  he  was 
the  incumbent  at  the  time  of  his  death.  Three  children  have  been 
born  to  this  union,  namely :  James  Harman,  Helen  May  and  George 
Gale,  Jr.  In  his  fraternal  relations  Mr.  Gilbert  is  a  member  of  the 
Pythian  Brotherhood,  belonging  to  Jefferson  Lodge,  No.  121,  and 
he  is  also  an  influential  worker  in  Lodge  No.  819,  Benevolent  and 
Protective  Order  of  Elks. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CQ.,   ILL.  421 

HARRY  F.  BRAY. 

Proprietor  of  the  Bray  Engineering  Company  of  Mount  Ver- 
non, and  one  of  the  leaders  of  industry  in  Southern  IHinois,  is  an 
American  by  birth,  but  belongs  to  a  distinguished  English  family, 
whose  history  is  intimately  interwoven  with  that  of  the  land  of  his 
forefathers.  Thomas  D.  Bray,  the  subject's  father,  was  a  sea- 
faring man,  who  spent  many  years  in  the  English  navy  and  in  due 
time  rose  to  a  position  of  prominence  in  that  branch  of  service.  By 
a  series  of  promotions  he  was  gradually  advanced  until  becoming 
commander  of  a  vessel  and  for  brave  and  gallant  conduct  was 
knighted  under  the  name  of  Sir  Thomas  Dyer  Bray,  by  which  title 
he  is  still  known  in  the  naval  circles  of  Great  Britain.  Captain 
Bray  resigned  his  commission  some  time  in  the  sixties  and  in  1866 
came  to  the  United  States,  locating  in  Chicago,  lUinois:  where  he 
remained  about  fourteen  years,  removing  at  the  expiration  of  that 
time  to  Southern  California,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
days,  dying  in  1896. 

Sir  Joseph  Lewis  Bray,  a  brother  of  Thomas  Dyer  Bray,  was 
also  a  distinguished  officer  in  the  British  naval  service,  and  at  one 
time  was  Governor  of  the  Island  Malta,  the  largest  and  most  im- 
portant naval  stations  in  the  world,  the  position  being  one  of  great 
responsibility  and  earning  for  those  filling  it  especial  honors  as  offi- 
cers of  the  crown.  Sir  William  Bray,  the  subject's  grandfather, 
also  a  seaman  by  profession,  attained  to  high  standing  in  the  navy 
and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  held  the  rank  of  Commodore.  He  was 
killed  about  the  year  1869  in  the  life  saving  service  and  left  to  his 
descendants  the  memory  of  a  useful  life  and  an  honorable  name,  the 
luster  of  which  has  never  been  tarnished  by  the  commission  of  a 
single  unworthy  act. 

Fannie  M.  Browning,  wife  of  Capt.  Thomas  D.  Bray,  and 


422  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

mother  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  a  daughter  of  J.  M. 
Browning,  to  whom  belonged  the  unique  distinction  of  having  been 
the  first  white  child  born  south  of  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  South- 
western Railroad,  then  the  Ohio  &  Mississippi  Railroad.  Mrs. 
Bray,  who  was  one  of  three  children  born  at  the  same  time  grew  to 
maturity  at  Browning  Hill,  about  five  miles  west  of  Benton,  Frank- 
lin county,  Illinois,  but  spent  the  greater  part  of  her  married  life  in 
Chicago  and  California,  dying  in  the  latter  state  a  number  of  years 
ago.  Captain  and  Fannie  M.  Bray  were  the  parents  of  ten  chil- 
dren, five  of  whom  are  living,  as  follows:  Walter,  of  Bowlmg 
Green,  Ohio;  Harold  L.,  of  Chicago;  Thomas  D.,  also  of  that 
city;  Mabel  E.,  who  lives  in  Los  Angeles,  California,  and  Harry 
F.,  the  subject  of  this  review. 

Harry  F.  Bray  was  born  in  Chicago  in  the  year  1868  and 
spent  the  early  years  of  his  life  in  his  native  city,  receiving  a  practical 
education  in  the  public  schools.  Endowed  with  strong  mental  powers 
and  a  decided  taste  for  mechanical  pursuits  he  yielded  to  a  natural 
desire  when  a  mere  youth  by  becoming  an  apprentice  to  a  marine 
engineer,  and  after  acquiring  efficiency  and  skill  as  a  workmen  de- 
voted the  ensuing  sixteen  years  to  the  profession,  the  greater  part 
of  the  time  on  deep  water  ships,  plying  the  Pacific  coast.  Resign- 
ing his  position  in  the  marine  service  at  the  expiration  of  the  period 
indicated,  he  spent  the  succeeding  three  years  as  a  locomotive  engi- 
neer, but  in  1 902  severed  his  connections  with  the  road  and  returned 
to  Chicago,  where  during  the  five  years  ensuing  he  was  engaged 
in  the  heating  and  plumbing  business. 

Disposing  of  his  interests  in  the  above  city  Mr.  Bray,  in  April, 
1907,  purchased  his  present  site  in  Mount  Vernon  and  established 
what  has  since  been  known  as  the  Bray  Engineering  Company,  one 
of  the  leading  industries  of  the  place  and  an  enterprise  whose  de- 
velopment and  growth  has  fully  realized  his  expectations,  as  the 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  423 

present  wide  reputation  of  the  plant  and  the  large  and  constantly 
increasing  business  abundantly  attest.  In  connection  with  contract- 
ing for  the  erection  of  various  types  of  engines,  Mr.  Bray  commands 
a  large  and  lucrative  patronage  in  the  lines  of  plumbing,  heating, 
electrical  work  and  sewage,  in  all  of  which  his  technical  training 
and  experience  have  made  his  services  especially  valuable. 

In  the  building  up  of  the  large  industry  of  which  he  is  the  head 
and  general  manager,  Mr.  Bray  has  displayed  executive  ability  of 
a  high  order  and  a  technical  knowledge  of  every  branch  of  the 
business  which  shows  him  a  master  of  his  calling  and  endowed  with 
capacity  to  inaugurate  and  carry  forward  large  and  important  en- 
terprises. Blessed  with  a  clear  brain,  analytical  mind  and  sound 
judgm.ent,  with  the  necessary  tact  to  direct  these  and  other  attributes 
in  the  right  direction,  he  has  moved  steadily  forvvaid  from  one 
achievement  to  another,  overcoming  all  obstacles  calculated  to  hin- 
der or  impede  his  progress  and  moulding  circumstances  to  suit  his 
purposes  until  he  now  occupies  a  commanding  position  in  industrial 
circles  with  encouraging  prospects  of  still  greater  success  as  the 
years  go  by.  His  career,  characterized  by  consecutive  effort  and 
continuous  advancement,  has  been  eminently  creditable,  while  the 
evidence  of  thorough  preparation  and  the  laudable  ambition  to  be 
satisfied  with  nothing  less  than  the  highest  attainment  render  his 
story  of  especial  value  to  the  young  man  who  contemplates  making 
mechanical  pursuits  his  life  work. 

Mr.  Bray  has  traveled  extensively  and  mingled  much  with 
men,  thus  adding  very  materially  to  his  experience  and  affording  the 
means  of  obtaining  a  valuable  practical  knowledge  such  as  educa- 
tional institutions  do  not  impart.  He  has  sailed  every  sea  and  nearly 
all  the  great  inland  waters  and  visited  all  the  most  important  parts 
of  the  world,  besides  visiting  m.any  places  of  historic  interest  on 
both  continents  and  acquiring  a  knowledge  of  the  manners  and  cus- 


424  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

toms  of  the  people  of  the  different  countries  traversed.  His  has  in- 
deed been  a  varied  and  interesting  experience  and  his  relations  with 
his  fellow  men  under  so  many  difficult  circumstances  enables  him  to 
take  broad  views  of  life  and  duty  and  gives  him  an  influence  and 
leadership  which  only  the  man  of  the  world  can  exercise. 

"Much  depends  upon  being  well  born,"  in  which  respect  Mr. 
Bray  has  been  fortunate  and  he  has  every  reason  to  fee!  proud  of 
his  birthright  and  to  keep  untarnished  the  escutcheon  of  the  honor- 
able family  to  which  he  belongs.  As  stated  in  preceding  para- 
graphs both  his  father  and  his  grandfather  were  knighted  for  duty 
bravely  and  faithfully  performed  and  the  high  positions  to  which 
they  rose,  in  the  service  of  their  country  were  honorably  won  and 
worthily  held.  From  those  sturdy  ancestors  Mr.  Bray  has  inherited 
not  a  few  of  the  sterling  characteristics  that  have  made  him  an  in- 
fluential factor  in  the  business  world  and  a  leader  among  his  fellow 
men,  but  he  makes  no  undue  display  of  these  qualities  nor  obtrudes 
the  history  of  his  antecedents  upon  unappreciative  ears.  With  all 
of  his  experience,  training  and  success  he  is  one  of  the  most  modest 
and  companionable  of  men.  Of  a  pleasing  presence  and  attractive 
personality  he  is  easily  approachable,  being  a  favorite  in  the  social 
circle,  popular  with  all  classes  and  conditions  of  his  fellow  citizens 
and  one  of  the  strong  and  forceful  factors  of  the  city  in  which  he 
resides. 

The  domestic  life  of  Mr.  Bray  dates  from  the  year  1892, 
when  he  was  happily  married  to  Miss  Alice  Ward,  of  Benton,  Illi- 
nois, daughter  of  Thomas  Ward,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  the 
city  and  a  pioneer  of  Franklin  county.  The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Bray  has  been  made  bright  by  the  presence  of  one  child,  a  daugh- 
ter by  the  name  of  Winifred  Estella,  whose  birth  occurred  on  the 
8th  of  October,  1893,  and  who  is  now  an  interesting  young  lady  in 
her  sixteenth  year,  a  favorite  with  her  companions  and  the  pride  of 
the  family  circle,  of  which  she  is  such  an  important  part. 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  425 

Although  well  informed  on  the  leading  questions  of  the  day 
and  abreast  of  the  times  on  all  matters  of  public  import,  Mr.  Bray 
is  not  a  politician  nor  an  office  seeker,  being  essentially  a  business 
man  and  content  with  the  simple  title  of  citizen.  Nevertheless  he 
manifests  an  abiding  interest  in  the  material  advancement  of  Mount 
Vernon  and  the  social  and  moral  progress  of  the  people  and  to  the 
extent  of  his  ability  is  ever  ready  to  encourage  all  laudable  means 
for  the  common  good.  He  is  a  Mason  of  high  rank,  including  among 
other  degrees,  that  of  Sir  Knight,  and  is  also  a  member  of  the  Pyth- 
ian Brotherhood  and  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks. 


CAPT.  JOHN  RILEY  MOSS. 

In  the  death  of  the  honored  subject  of  this  memoir  on  the  2d 
day  of  October,  1 908,  there  passed  from  earth  another  member  of 
the  group  of  distinctively  representative  men  who  were  instrumental ' 
in  building  up  the  material  interests  of  Jefferson  county  and  leaders 
in  those  things,  which  made  for  the  social  and  intellectual  advance- 
ment of  their  respective  communities.  His  nan^e  is  familiar,  not 
alone  to  the  representative  people  of  the  county  to  whose  develop- 
ment and  progress  he  contributed  so  conspicuously  but  to  all  who 
are  informed  concerning  the  history  of  Southern  Illinois.  A  pio- 
neer of  this  state  and  for  many  years  one  of  the  foremost  men  of 
the  section  of  country  honored  by  his  citizenship,  Capt.  John  Riley 
Moss  impressed  his  individuality  upon  the  times  in  which  he  lived  and 
his  long  connection  with  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  his  native 
county  will  cause  his  name  to  be  enshrined  in  the  memories  of  his 
contemporaries  as  one  of  the  distinguished  citizens  of  his  day  and 
generation. 


426  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

From  the  most  reliable  data  obtainable  the  Moss  family  is  sup- 
posed to  be  of  Norse  or  Scandinavian  origin,  although  its  first  rep- 
resentative in  America  came  from  England  early  in  the  colonial 
period,  nnd  settled  at  various  points  along  the  New  England  coast. 
The  Captain's  immediate  ancestors  migrated  to  the  South  a  num- 
ber of  years  ago  and  were  among  the  sterling  yeomanry  of  North 
Carolina,  his  father.  Ransom  Moss,  having  been  a  native  of  that 
state  and  his  mother,  Anna  (Johnson)  Moss,  of  Louisa  county, 
Virginia.  Ransom  Moss  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife,  Susan 
Avant,  who  came  to  Illinois  from  Tennessee  in  1818,  with  her  hus- 
band and  settled  in  what  is  now  Shiloh  township,  Jefferson  county, 
being  the  first  women  laid  to  rest  in  the  old  Shiloh  cemetery,  one 
of  the  first  places  in  the  county  consecrated  to  the  burial  of  the  dead. 
Mr.  Moss  and  wife  were  among  the  first  settlers  of  the  above  town- 
ship and  figured  conspicuously  in  the  early  history  of  the  commu- 
nity, which  they  helped  to  establish.  Anna  Johnson  became  the 
wife  of  Mr.  Moss  on  his  second  marriage,  the  two  wives  bearing 
him  nine  children  in  all,  the  Captain  being  one  of  the  youngest  of 
the  family  and  a  small  boy  when  his  father  died. 

Capt.  John  Riley  Moss  was  born  May  13,  1830.  on  the  old 
home  place  in  Shiloh  township,  Jefferson  county,  and,  as  already 
stated,  was  a  mere  child  when  his  widowed  mother  assumed  the  re- 
sponsibility of  the  family  by  reason  of  his  father's  untimely  death. 
Reared  to  agricultural  pursuits  and  early  obliged  to  contribute  to 
the  support  of  his  mother  he  spent  his  youthful  years  in  close  touch 
with  the  soil  and  was  enabled  to  obtain  but  a  limited  education  in 
such  indifferent  schools  as  the  country  in  those  days  afforded.  On 
reaching  the  years  of  manhood  he  selected  agriculture  for  his  voca- 
tion and  in  due  time  became  one  of  the  leading  farmers  of  his  town- 
ship and  perhaps  the  largest  stock  raiser  of  the  county,  being  the 
first  man  to  introduce  Cotswold  sheep,  Jersey  cattle  and  the  Berk- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  427 

shire  breed  of  hogs  into  this  part  of  IHinois  and  leading  the  way  to 
a  general  improvement  in  the  matter  of  live  stock  among  the  farmers 
of  the  county.  He  was  enterprising  in  all  the  term  implies  and  as 
a  farmer  and  stock  raiser  had  few  equals  and  no  superiors,  cultivat- 
ing the  soil  by  the  most  approved  methods  and  taking  advanced 
grounds  in  arousing  and  maintaining  an  interest  in  progressive  agri- 
culture. His  financial  success  was  commensurate  with  the  energy, 
judgment  and  foresight  displayed  in  his  undertakings  and  in  due 
itme  he  became  not  only  one  of  the  well-to-do  farmers  of  the  coun- 
ty, but  also  one  of  the  leading  men  of  affairs  and  public-spirited 
citizens.  Consequently  it  naturally  followed  that  he  should  be- 
come one  of  the  promoters  and  organizers  of  the  Jefferson  County 
Agricultural  Society,  which  for  a  number  of  years  gave  annual  ex- 
hibitions of  live  stock  and  farm  products  and  accomplished  much 
for  improvement  along  those  lines. 

When  the  safety  of  the  government  was  put  in  jeopardy  by 
"  armed  forces  of  rebellion,  Mr.  Moss  was  among  the  first  Jefferson 
county's  patriotic  sons  to  tender  his  services  to  the  Union  and  not 
long  after  his  enlistment  in  Company  C,  Sixtieth  Regiment  lUinois 
Volunteer  Infantry,  in  1861,  he  was  at  the  front  discharging  his 
duty  as  became  a  gallant  defender  of  the  nation's  honor  and  shar- 
ing the  fortunes  and  dangers  of  war  under  many  trying  and  hazard- 
ous circumstances.  Immediately  after  the  organization  of  Company 
C  he  was  made  its  captain  and  as  such  served  with  an  honorable 
record  until  discharged  by  reason  of  disability  in  1863.  On  Sep- 
tember 5th  of  the  following  year  he  was  appointed  Deputy  Pro- 
vost Marshal  of  the  Eleventh  District  and  not  long  after  taking 
charge  of  his  office  was  put  in  command  of  a  detachment  of  troops 
and  ordered  to  take  a  fort  on  Skillet  Fork  river,  held  by  a  number  of 
disloyal  men,  and  to  capture  all  such  who  were  in  hiding  or  in  other 
ways  seeking  to  evade  military  service.     This  duty  he  discharged 


428  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

in  such  a  manner  as  to  make  his  name  a  terror  to  the  disloyal  ele- 
ment in  his  district  and  as  Supervisor  of  the  enrolling  and  drafting 
of  soldiers  throughout  his  jurisdiction,  he  also  rendered  valuable 
service  to  the  state  and  earned  an  honorable  place  in  the  category 
of  her  brave  and  loyal  sons.  He  became  a  member  of  Coleman 
Post,  No.  508,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republican,  of  Mount  Vernon, 
upon  its  organization  and  was  active  for  many  years  in  its  councils, 
serving  as  commander  of  the  same.  At  the  time  of  his  demise  the 
honorary  pallbearers  at  his  funeral  were  selected  from  among  his 
old  comrades. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  Captain  Moss  resumed  the  peaceful 
pursuits  of  civil  life  on  his  farm  in  Shiloh  township  and  as  stated 
in  a  preceding  paragraph  rose  to  conspicuous  place  among  the  lead- 
ing agriculturists  and  stock  raisers  of  the  county,  becoming  influen- 
tial in  public  affairs  and  taking  a  active  part  in  the  political  issues 
of  the  times.  His  services  to  the  Republican  party  made  him  one 
of  its  most  influential  leaders  in  the  county  of  Jefferson,  but  when 
its  policies  were  in  his  judgment  unsatisfactory  or  failed  to  meet  the 
demands  of  the  people  he  did  not  hesitate  to  dissent  therefrom  and 
appeal  to  the  bar  of  public  opinion  as  was  attested  by  his  election  in 
1 878  to  the  Thirty-first  General  Assembly  as  an  independent  candi- 
date. His  career  in  that  body  met  the  expectations  of  his  friends  of 
all  parties  throughout  the  county  and  proved  eminently  satisfactory 
to  his  constituency  as  well  as  creditable  to  himself.  He  served  on  a 
number  of  important  committees  where  his  judgment,  knowledge 
and  wide  grasp  of  public  questions  were  duly  recognized  and  ap- 
preciated and  in  the  general  deliberations  of  the  chamber  he  proved 
a  ready  and  able  debater  and  his  opinions  always  commanded  the 
respect  of  his  fellow  members. 

Captain  Moss  always  manifested  a  deep  and  abiding  interest 
in  the  early  history  of  his  state  and  county,  especially  the  latter. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  429 

and  was  one  of  the  best  informed  men  on  the  pioneer  period  in  his 
part  of  the  country.  At  the  time  of  his  death  and  for  many  years 
previous  he  was  an  active  member  of  the  IHinois  State  Historical 
Society.  In  recognition  of  his  researches  and  other  services  he  was 
made  president  of  the  Pioneers'  Association  of  Jefferson  county,  in 
which  capacity  he  was  instrumental  in  arousing  an  interest  in  local 
history  which  is  still  maintained  and  by  means  of  which  much  valu- 
able information  has  been  collected  and  placed  on  record.  He  also 
gathered  much  important  data  on  the  early  history  of  Shiloh  town- 
ship and  put  it  in  form  for  future  references,  besides  taking  a  lead- 
ing part  in  promoting  the  intellectual  advancement  of  the  commu- 
nity by  means  of  social  and  literary  clubs,  which  under  his  judicious 
management  resulted  in  considerable  enthusiasm  and  became  edu- 
cational factors  of  wide  influence.  One  of  the  most  important  of 
these  societies  was  a  debating  club  in  which  the  leading  citizens  of 
the  township  were  active  participants  and  through  which  much  was 
accomplished  in  developing  the  art  of  public  discourse  and  preparing 
not  a  few  young  men  for  lives  of  honor  and  usefulness.  Later  the 
organization  partook  more  of  the  character  of  a  literary  society  and 
among  its  members  were  a  number  of  men  who  have  smce  made 
their  mark  in  the  world,  to  say  nothing  of  the  good  work  done  in 
cultivating  a  taste  for  literature  among  the  people  of  the  commu- 
nity, in  general.  Under  the  leadership  of  Captain  Moss,  Shiloh 
easily  took  the  lead  of  her  sister  townships  in  literary  culture  and 
her  citizens  have  ever  since  sustained  a  creditable  reputation  for 
general  information  and  a  high  order  of  intelligence.  In  addition 
to  his  activity  and  influence  in  organizing  and  maintaining  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  the  various  societies  referred  to,  the  captain  was  also 
president  of  the  Southern  Illinois  Fox  Hunting  Association  and  al- 
ways took  delight  in  this  means  of  recreation.  He  was  a  true  sports- 
man and  a  liberal  patron  of  all  legitimate  means  for  promoting  an 


430  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

interest  in  outdoor  amusements  and  to  him  more  than  to  any  other 
member  was  the  above  association  indebted  for  its  popularity,  dur- 
ing the  period  of  its  existence.  In  his  rehgious  behef  Captain  Moss 
subscribed  to  the  Methodist  creed  and  for  many  years  was  an  active 
and  influential  member  of  the  church,  having  figured  prominently 
in  establishing  a  number  of  organizations  in  his  own  and  other  coun- 
ties and  risen  to  a  position  of  considerable  prominence  in  ecclesias- 
tical circles.  In  all  of  his  relations  his  conduct  was  that  of  an  earnest 
and  sincere  disciple  whose  daily  life  was  consistent  with  his  religious 
profession  and  who  ever  tried  to  realize  in  himself  his  high  ideals 
of  Christian  manhood  and  citizenship.  The  Captain  was  essen- 
tially a  man  of  the  people  with  the  best  interests  of  his  fellows  at 
heart  and  there  were  few  in  his  county  who  were  as  universally  re- 
spected or  stood  as  high  as  he  in  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  the 
public. 

Permelia  C.  Allen,  who  became  the  wife  of  Captain  Moss, 
was  born  in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  November  23,  1835.  Her 
father,  a  native  of  Tennessee,  and  a  prominent  farmer  and  local 
minister  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  was  one  of  the  leading 
citizens  of  the  county  and  for  many  years  an  influential  factor  in 
public  affairs.  Her  mother,  who  maiden  name  was  Eliza  Daniel, 
came  to  Illinois  from  her  native  state  of  Kentucky  and  spent  the 
greater  part  of  her  life  in  the  county  of  Jefferson.  Mrs.  Moss  was 
a  woman  of  many  excellent  traits  of  character,  a  devoted  Christian 
and  like  her  husband,  an  active  worker  in  the  local  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church  to  which  she  belonged.  She  departed  this  life  in 
Mount  Vernon  at  the  home  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Rufus  Grant, 
on  the  1 6th  day  of  March,  1 908,  and  left  to  mourn  her  loss  a  large 
circle  of  devoted  relatives  and  admiring  friends. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  children  born  to  Captain 
and  Mrs.  Moss:     Angus  I.,  a  farmer  of  Shiloh  township;  Hon, 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  431 

Norman  H.  Moss,  a  leading  member  of  the  Jefferson  County  Bar, 
whose  sketch  appears  elsewhere  in  these  pages;  Mrs.  E.  W.  Neal, 
of  Knoxville,  Tennessee;  Dr.  Harry  C.  Moss,  of  Albion,  Illinois; 
Mrs.  Rufus  Grant,  of  Mount  Vernon,  and  Mrs.  Addie  May  Mc- 
Anally,  deceased,  Brst  wife  of  Dr.  John  T.  McAnally,  of  Car- 
bondale,  Illinois.  The  death  of  Captain  Moss,  on  the  date  men- 
tioned in  the  beginning  of  this  review,  occurred  at  the  home  of  his 
son.  Dr.  Harry  Moss,  of  Albion,  and  caused  universal  sorrow 
among  his  many  friends  and  fellow  citizens,  especially  those  with 
whom  he  was  brought  into  intimate  relations  and  who  had  learned 
to  appreciate  his  splendid  powers  and  prize  his  many  estimable  qual- 
ities. His  was  indeed  a  life  fraught  with  great  good  to  the  world 
and  among  his  fellow  citizens  of  Jefferson  county  his  name  will  long 
be  honored  as  one  of  the  leading  men  of  the  time  in  which  he  lived 
and  wrought. 


W.  C.  ARTHURS. 


Holding  distinctive  precedence  as  a  captain  of  industry,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  fills  a  large  place  in  the  manufacturing  and 
business  circles  of  his  own  and  other  states  and  as  executive  head 
of  one  of  the  largest  and  most  important  industrial  enterprises  in 
Southern  Illinois,  has  earned  a  reputation  second  to  that  of  none  of 
his  compeers.  Beginning  life  under  many  unfavorable  circum- 
stances and  early  obliged  to  rely  entirely  upon  his  own  resources, 
his  career  has  indeed,  been  truly  remarkable  and  to  him  in  the  true 
sense  of  the  term  belongs  the  proud  title  of  a  "self-made  man. 

W.  C.  Arthurs,  president  of  the  Mount  Vernon  Car  Manufac- 
turing Company,  and  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  his  city  and  state, 
springs  from  sturdy  Scotch  ancestors  who  in  their  native  land  went 


432  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

by  the  name  of  MacArthurs,  but  during  a  long  period  of  residence 
in  the  United  States  the  descendants  of  the  original  immigrant  to 
this  county  have  gradually  dropped  the  prefix,  leaving  the  patrony- 
mic as  it  now  appears. 

Joseph  W.  Arthurs,  the  subject's  grandfather,  was  a  native  of 
North  Carolina,  where  his  birth  occurred  m  1806.  He  left  that 
state  in  an  early  day  and  migrated  to  lUjnois,  settling  at  Hillsboro, 
Montgomery  county,  where  he  worked  for  some  time  at  the  tailor's 
trade,  dying  there  in  the  year  1849.  Joseph  W.  Arthurs  married 
Lydia  Morrison,  November  26,  1835,  who  was  born  in  Iredell 
county.  North  Carolina,  April  9,  1810,  and  died  at  Camden,  South 
Carolina,  on  the  13th  of  March,  1844.  Her  father,  James 
Morrison,  also  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  was  born  in  the  county 
of  Iredell,  November  30,  1 769,  and  her  mother,  who  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Margaret  Grace  V/ilson,  was  born  in  the  same  state 
and  county  on  January  1  7th  of  the  year  1  779. 

Among  the  children  of  Joseph  W.  Arthurs  and  wife  was  a  son 
by  the  name  of  James  M.  Arthurs,  who  was  born  in  Hillsboro, 
Illinois,  and  who  in  early  life  learned  the  trade  of  blacksmithing 
which  he  followed  for  many  years  in  his  native  town.  He  entered 
the  army  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  war  and  served  till  the 
downfall  of  the  Confederacy,  participating  in  a  number  of  bloody 
battles  and  earning  an  especially  honorable  record  as  a  brave  and 
gallant  soldier.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Ninth  Illinois  Infantry, 
Colonel  Phillips'  regiment,  and  for  meritorious  conduct  was  pro- 
moted second  lieutenant  of  Company  H,  which  office  he  held  when 
discharged  at  the  close  of  the  war.  Some  time  in  the  nineties  he 
moved  to  Kansas  and  departed  this  life  at  Hutchinson,  that  state, 
in  the  year  1903. 

Emma  Cram,  wife  of  James  M.  Arthurs,  was  born  near  Hills- 
boro, Illinois,  February  1 0,  1 842,  and  from  the  most  reliable  data 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  433 

obtainable,  appears  to  have  been  a  descendant  of  the  celebrated  Von 
Cram  family  of  Germany.  She  was  a  woman  of  many  sterling 
qualities  greatly  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  her,  and  her  death, 
which  occurred  on  October  1,  1865,  was  felt  as  a  personal  loss 
in  the  community  where  she  spent  the  greater  part  of  her  life.  Lati- 
nus  M.  Cram,  father  of  Mrs.  Arthurs,  was  born  at  Portland,  Maine, 
October  30,  1810.  He  married  at  Norfolk,  Virginia,  A.ugust  13, 
1836,  Ann  Hart,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Suffolk  county  on  Long 
Island,  New  York,  July  19,  1811,  and  who  belonged  to  one  of  the 
old  and  well  known  families  of  that  part  of  the  Empire  state.  When 
a  mere  lad  Latimus  Cram  was  bound  as  a  cabin  boy  on  a  vessel 
plying  the  Atlantic  and  ever  afterwards  followed  the  sea.  gradually 
rising  from  his  original  humble  station  to  become  master  of  a  ship,  a 
position  he  held  for  many  years.  He  was  drowned  in  the  Ohio 
river,  near  Cairo,  Illinois,  April  9,  1 842.  His  widow  survived  him 
many  years,  dying  at  Hillsboro,  December  27,  1893. 

The  Harts  were  among  the  early  residents  of  Suffolk  county. 
Long  Island,  Philetus  Hart,  father  of  Ann  Hart,  having  been  born 
there  on  the  6th  day  of  May,  1  768.  His  wife,  Mary  Hart,  also  a 
native  of  the  same  county,  was  born  September  7.1,  1  778,  and  died 
in  the  city  of  New  York  in  February,  1 83 1 ,  her  husband  departing 
this  life  in  September  of  the  previous  year,  1830. 

^ .  C.  Arthurs,  whose  name  introduces  this  sketch,  is  a  native 
of  Montgomery  county,  Illinois,  and  the  son  of  James  M.  and 
Emma  (Cram)  Arthurs.  He  was  born  at  Hillsboro,  received  his 
education  in  the  schools  of  that  city  and  Litchfield  and  while  still 
a  mere  boy  began  making  his  own  way  in  the  world  by  working 
on  a  farm.  Indeed,  so  small  was  he  at  the  time  of  finding  his  first 
employment,  that  he  could  barely  hold  the  handles  of  a  plow,  but 
blessed  with  good  health  and  a  strong  body,  and  endowed  with  an 

unusual  amount  of  energy  for  one  so  young  he  persevered  in  his 

28 


434  wall's  history  of  jefferson  cc,  ill. 

labors  and  not  only  earned  the  small  wages  received,  but  so  pleased 
his  employer  that  the  latter  parted  with  his  services  very  reluctantly 
when  the  lad  saw  fit  to  change  his  mode  of  life.  From  the  fields  he 
entered  a  grocery  store  where  he  clerked  for  some  time  and  obtained 
a  practical  knowledge  of  business  and  subsequently  accepted  a  sim- 
ilar position  in  a  drug  store.  After  an  experience  of  a  few  years 
in  the  latter  capacity  he  entered  the  shoe  business  and  sold  shoes  at 
retail  for  a  number  of  years,  leaving  the  retail  shoe  business  to  en- 
gage as  traveling  salesman  with  a  boot  and  shoe  firm  whose  interests 
he  represented  on  the  road  for  a  number  of  years.  Meanwhile  he 
prepared  himself  for  a  business  life  by  taking  a  course  in  a  commer- 
cial college  at  Jacksonville  and  on  being  graduated  from  that  in- 
stitution was  well  fitted  to  grapple  with  the  problems  which  usually 
confront  the  ambitious  young  man  at  the  beginning  of  his  career. 

Early  in  life  Mr.  Arthurs  resolved  to  make  his  employer's  in- 
terests his  own,  and  prove  faithful  to  every  trust  reposed  in  him. 
By  always  acting  in  conformity  with  this  resolution  he  was  enabled 
to  hold  a  number  of  important  positions  and  it  is  a  fact  worthy  of 
note  that  he  was  never  discharged  by  an  employer,  nor  in  any  way 
lost  the  confidence  or  incurred  the  ill-will  of  those  to  whose  service 
he  devoted  so  much  of  his  time  and  energy. 

On  quitting  the  road,  Mr.  Arthurs  in  partnership  with  certain 
friends  built  a  shoe  factory  at  De  Kalb,  Illinois,  but  by  reason  of 
the  failure  of  his  associates  the  enterprise  did  not  prove  a  success 
and  had  to  be  abandoned,  following  which  he  entered,  in  1887, 
the  employ  of  the  Litchfield  Car  &  Machine  Company  as  cashier 
and  paymaster,  which  important  position  he  held  during  the  two 
years  ensuing.  Severing  his  connection  with  the  above  enterprise  at 
the  expiration  of  the  time  indicated  Mr.  Arthurs  in  1890  accepted 
the  post  of  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Mount  Vernon  Car  Manu- 
facturing Company,  and  after  discharging  the  duties  of  the  same  in 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  435 

a  highly  creditable  manner  for  a  period  of  seven  years  he  was  made 
receiver,  which  place  he  filled  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  concerned 
from  1897  to  1902  inclusive,  bringing  the  concern  out  of  bank- 
ruptcy, paying  its  debts,  greatly  improving  the  property  and  turning 
same  back  to  the  original  stockholders  without  a  sale  of  the  property. 
In  the  latter  year  he  was  further  honored  by  being  elected  vice- 
president  and  treasurer  of  the  enterprise  and  after  six  years  of  faith- 
ful and  acceptable  service  in  that  capacity,  he  succeeded  in  1908, 
on  the  death  of  Mr.  Settlemire  to  the  presidency,  which  responsible 
and  honorable  office  he  still  holds  and  in  which  he  has  displayed 
sound  judgment,  a  comprehensive  grasp  of  the  principles  essential  to 
success  and  executive  ability  of  a  very  high  order. 

The  Mount  Vernon  Car  Manufacturing  Company  was  organ- 
ized in  1890  since  which  time  it  has  grown  into  one  of  the  largest 
and  most  successful  industrial  enterprises  of  Southern  Illinois,  ad- 
vancing from  the  original  capacity  of  ten  cars  and  one  hundred  car 
wheels  per  day,  to  the  present  daily  output  of  twenty-five  cars,  or 
four  hundred  and  fifty  wheels,  and  affording  employment  to  con- 
siderably over  one  thousand  mechanics  and  skilled  artisans,  many 
of  whom  have  been  with  the  company  ever  since  it  was  established. 
The  pay  roll  of  this  large  and  rapidly  growing  industry  averages 
something  in  excess  of  sixty  thousand  dollars  per  month,  and  the 
average  yearly  product  is  five  million  dollars.  Since  beginning  busi- 
ness a  little  more  than  eighteen  years  ago  the  company  has  paid  for 
labor  alone,  the  enormous  sum  of  four  million  dollars,  besides  large 
amounts  for  material  and  all  of  which  has  been  spent  in  Mount  Ver- 
non, proving  a  great  impetus  to  the  business  interests  of  the  city,  and 
adding  very  materially  to  its  reputation  as  an  important  industrial 
and  business  center. 

Mr.  Arthurs  is  a  business  man  in  the  broadest  meaning  of  the 
term  and  to  him  more  perhaps  than  to  any  other  is  due  the  contin- 


436  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

uous  growth  of  the  company  since  he  became  president  and  its 
present  high  standmg  in  manufacturmg  circles  throughout  the  coun- 
try. Wide-awake,  enterprising  and  remarkably  energetic,  his  in- 
fluence is  felt  in  every  department  of  the  business  which  he  manages 
and  being  familiar  with  its  every  detail,  he  understands  well  how  to 
obtain  the  largest  possible  results,  at  the  same  time  maintaining  those 
mutually  pleasant  relations  with  his  subordinates  which  have  made 
them  his  loyal  friends  and  for  which  the  establishment  has  long  been 
noted.  Aside  from  his  official  position  with  the  Mount  Vernon  Car 
Manufacturing  Company,  Mr.  Arthurs  is  identified  with  a  number 
of  other  enterprises  in  this  city  and  elsewhere,  being  a  director  of 
the  Mechanics-American  National  Bank,  of  St.  Louis,  one  of  the 
largest  institutions  of  the  kind  in  that  city,  a  director  of  the  Third 
National  Bank,  of  Mount  Vernon,  and  of  the  bank  of  Waltonville, 
besides  owning  stock  in  thirty-six  other  companies  and  corporations, 
and  sustaining  the  relation  of  director  in  a  number  of  them,  in  all  of 
which  he  manifests  a  lively  interest  and  keeps  in  close  touch  with 
their  growth  and  success. 

Although  deeply  immersed  in  business  matters,  Mr.  Arthurs  is 
identified  with  and  a  friend  to  all  enterprises  which  tend  to  advance 
the  material  growth  of  his  city  and  county  or  in  any  way  benefit  the 
people.  He  is  a  Republican,  but  not  a  politician,  although  well 
grounded  in  the  principles  of  his  party,  thoroughly  informed  rela- 
tive to  the  great  questions  and  issues  before  the  public.  He  has  the 
courage  of  his  convictions  upon  all  matters  of  local  and  general  in- 
terest and  is  a  splendid  type  of  the  intelligent  American  citizen  who 
loves  his  country  and  makes  every  other  consideration  subordinate 
to  its  welfare. 

In  religion  he  is  liberal  in  all  the  term  implies,  belonging  to  no 
church  or  fraternal  organization,  but  according  to  everybody  the 
same  right  of  private  judgment  which  he  claims  for  himself.     He  is 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  437 

a  friend  of  the  church,  however,  and  believes  Christianity  to  be  the 
greatest  and  most  influential  factor  in  modern  civilization.  He  also 
does  considerable  charitable  and  benevolent  work,  and  is  ever  ready 
to  assist  any  laudable  means  for  the  comfort  and  welfare  of  those 
whom  fortune  has  neglected  and  to  contribute  liberally  to  the  var- 
ious humanitarian  institutions  which  have  done  so  much  for  the  poor 
and  indigent  of  the  community. 

Mr.  Arthurs  is  a  man  of  strong  domestic  tastes  and  the  beauti- 
ful and  luxurious  home  on  North  street  is  one  of  the  finest  and  most 
attractive  in  the  city.  It  is  the  one  happy  place  where  he  can  divert 
himself  of  the  cares  and  distractions  of  business  and  enjoy  the  quiet 
atmosphere  of  a  circle  which  approaches  very  near  the  ideal.  The 
presiding  spirit  in  this  hospitable  household  is  a  lady  of  intelligent, 
varied  culture  and  gracious  presence  to  whom  he  was  united  in  the 
bonds  of  wedlock  on  November  28,  1 888,  and  who  previous  to 
that  time  bore  the  name  of  lola  E.  Settlemire.  Mrs.  Arthurs  was 
born  at  Gillespie,  Illinois,  and  is  the  daughter  of  D.  O.  Settlemire, 
formerly  a  prominent  resident  and  manufacturer  of  Litchfield  and 
fbr  a  number  of  years  president  of  the  Litchfield  Car  &  Machine 
Company,  of  that  city.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Arthurs  have  one  child, 
David  Clifford  Arthurs,  who  was  born  March  8,  1907. 

In  closing  the  review  of  one  of  the  leading  captains  of  industry 
of  Illinois  it  is  only  necessary  to  state  that  he  is  a  gentleman  of  pro- 
gressive ideas  and  generous  impulses,  highly  esteemed  by  his  fellow 
men,  and  filling  a  place  in  the  public  view  which  has  brought  him 
prominently  to  the  front,  not  only  in  business  circles  but  in  the  do- 
main of  citizenship  as  well.  Of  fine  personal  presence  and  com- 
manding influence  he  moves  among  his  fellows  as  one  born  to  leader- 
ship, nevertheless  he  is  kind  and  affable,  easily  approachable,  and 
all  who  enjoy  the  favor  of  his  acquaintance  and  friendship  speak  in 
the  highest  terms  of  his  many  sterling  qualities  of  mind  and  heart. 


438  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

ROBERT  N.  HINMAN. 


* 


The  substantial  character  of  Mount  Vernon  is  the  result  of  the 
energy  and  integrity  of  her  business  men  who  as  a  class  compare 
favorably  with  those  of  any  other  city  of  like  importance.  The 
growth  of  the  town  has  been  along  lines  that  make  for  permanency 
and  for  this  reason  people  with  means  are  willing  to  make  invest- 
ments without  fear  or  hesitancy  regarding  future  values.  The  sub- 
ject of  this  review  has  done  his  part  in  building  up  the  splendid  repu- 
tations of  the  city,  and  holds  a  high  place  in  the  esteem  of  its  lead- 
ing business  men  of  the  city. 

Robert  N.  Hinman  was  born  in  Mount  Vernon  on  the  18th 
day  of  December,  1 854.  His  father,  Harmon  D.  Hinman,  a  native 
of  Vermont,  came  to  Illinois  when  quite  a  young  man  and  settled  at 
Shawneetown.  He  was  a  brick  mason  by  trade  and  after  many 
years  spent  at  Shawneetown,  he  came  to  Mount  Vernon,  where  he 
was  prosperous  and  happy.  The  misfortune  of  a  violent  death, 
however,  awaited  him,  for  he  was  killed  by  a  horse  in  1 860,  when 
our  subject  was  but  five  years  old.  His  wife,  Betty  (Moss)  Hin- 
man, whose  parents  were  natives  of  Virginia,  died  in  1 872,  at  the 
age  of  thirty-nine  years.  She  was  the  mother  of  five  children,  the 
first  three  of  whom,  John,  Rosa  and  Alice,  are  deceased.  Our  sub- 
ject was  the  fourth  in  order  of  birth,  and  the  fifth.  Alma,  is  the  wife 
of  J.  C.  Mass,  and  has  her  home  in  New  Mexico. 

Mr.  Hinman  has  always  lived  at  Mount  Vernon,  where  he 
attended  both  the  public  and  the  high  school.  At  the  age  of  fif- 
teen, he  began  work  in  the  post-office,  and  continued  there  from 
1 870  to  1 887,  being  the  assistant  postmaster  for  the  first  nine  years, 
at  the  expiration  of  which  he  became  postmaster,  and  continued  in 
that  capacity  for  the  next  eight  years.  In  December,  1887,  he  went 
into  the  hardware  busineses  with  H.  H.  Simmons.  This  partner- 
ship continued  for  three  years  when  Mr.  Simmons  retired  from  the 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  439 

business.  For  the  next  two  years  Mr.  Hinman  operated  the  store 
himself,  and  at  the  expiration  of  this  time  the  management  was  re- 
organized by  the  accession  of  two  additional  members  to  the  firm, 
viz.,  R.  P.  Moyer  andj.  H.  Irvin,  under  the  name  of  Hinman, 
Irvin  and  Moyer.  This  association  continued  for  one  and  one-half 
years,  being  broken  by  the  death  of  Mr.  Irvin  in  1895.  Mr.  Hin- 
man and  Mr.  Moyer  contmued  in  partnership  for  three  and  one- 
half  years.  On  September  24,  1895,  the  present  firm  was  organ- 
ized through  the  accession  of  J.  J.  Matthews,  under  the  name  of 
Hinman  and  Matthews.  Their  store  is  one  of  the  best  stocked  and 
economically  managed  of  any  in  the  city,  and  a  large  patronage  is 
being  enjoyed  by  the  firm. 

On  December  29,  1875,  Mr.  Hinman  was  married  to  Miss 
Ella  E.  Burghart,  who  was  born  in  New  York  state.  This  marriage 
took  place  at  Ashley,  Illinois,  whither  her  people  had  removed  when 
Ella  was  quite  young.  She  departed  this  life,  April  1 8,  1 906.  She 
became  the  mother  of  four  children,  Robert  E.,  of  St.  Louis;  Earl 
B.  and  Stella  E.  are  at  the  parental  home  in  Mount  Vernon.  The 
fourth,  John  H.,  has  his  home  at  Bisbee,  Arizona. 

Mr.  Hinman  served  as  Supervisor  of  Mount  Vernon  township 
from  1 905  to  1 907  and  managed  the  office  with  a  great  deal  of  tact 
and  efficiency.  In  1890,  he  served  as  Mayor  of  Mount  Vernon, 
and  was  well  received  and  supported  by  the  people.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Masons,  and  although  he  is  quiet 
and  unassuming  in  his  demeanor,  yet  he  has  done  much  to  promote 
the  best  interests  of  the  community  at  large.  He  and  his  family  are 
members  of  the  First  Methodist  church,  and  Mr.  Hinman  is  one  of 
the  trustees.  Although  a  Republican  in  politics,  he  espouses  only 
those  men  and  measures  that  fill,  in  his  judgment,  the  highest  needs 
of  the  city,  and  in  this  way  he  contributes  to  its  welfare  and  pros- 
perity. 


440  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co..  ill. 

JOEL  V.  BAUGH. 

One  of  the  best  known  and  public-spirited  citizens  of  Jefferson 
county,  Illinois,  is  Joel  V.  Baugh,  editor  of  the  Mount  Vernon 
News,  who  was  born  in  Mount  Vernon,  May  19,  1838,  and  who 
has  spent  much  of  his  long  and  eminently  useful  life  in  his  home 
community.  He  is  the  son  of  Downing  Baugh,  a  native  of  Barren 
county,  Kentucky,  who  removed  to  Kaskaskia,  Randolph  county, 
Illinois,  in  the  early  days,  1820.  The  father  of  the  subject  was  a 
distinguished  lawyer,  who  was  born  in  Barren  county,  Kentucky, 
in  i  798.  He  lived  in  Barren  county  a  short  time  and  then  moved  to 
Mount  Vernon,  Illinois,  in  1821.  He  married  Milly  Pace.  He 
was  prominent  in  public  affairs,  and  was  postmaster  of  Mount  Ver- 
non for  many  years.  He  was  a  home  student  and  began  the  prac- 
tice of  law  when  forty-seven  years  old,  having  studied  law  in  his 
spare  moments  for  some  time.  He  was  successful  from  the  first  and 
he  was  appointed  Circuit  Judge  in  1854,  winning  a  record  as  an 
honest  and  upright  jurist.  During  the  years  1840  and  1841  he  was 
enrolling  and  engrossing  clerk  of  the  twelfth  General  Assembly.  He 
was  a  Probate  Justice  in  Jefferson  county  for  a  time.  In  1857  he 
removed  to  McGregor,  Iowa,  where  he  was  elected  Judge  of  the 
City  Court.  Judge  Baugh  was  one  of  those  sterling  pioneers  who 
helped  to  form  and  mould  the  early  sentiments  of  this  country.  His 
death,  which  was  deeply  lamented  by  all  who  knew  him,  occurred 
at  McGregor,  Iowa,  in  1888,  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-one 
years.  He  and  his  good  wife  were  the  parents  of  eight  children, 
four  of  whom  are  living  in  1909,  namely:  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Fly,  of 
Mount  Vernon;  J.  W. ;  Joel  V.,  our  subject;  Mrs.  Harriet  Thurs- 
ton, of  Hot  Springs,  South  Dakota. 

Our  subject's  mother  died  when  he  was  small  and  he  was 
reared  by  his  step-mother,  known  in  her  maindenhood  as  Sophronia 


JOEL  V.   BAUGH. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  441 

Davis,  of  Moore's  Prairie,  Jefferson  county.  She  married  Downing 
Baugh  in  1 847  and  her  death  occurred  in  1 908,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  ninety-seven  years. 

Joel  V.  Baugh  spent  his  early  life  in  Mount  Vernon,  attend- 
ing the  common  schools.  He  early  decided  to  devote  his  life  to 
journalism,  and  accordingly  entered  the  office  of  the  Jeffersonian 
in  1 85 1 ,  and  he  has  been  continuously  connected  with  the  business 
since  that  time,  making  a  great  success  and  becoming  one  of  the 
molders  of  public  opinion.  He  has  had  occasion  to  learn  the  news- 
paper business  in  all  its  details.  The  first  paper  started  in  Mount 
Vernon  was  the  Jeffersonian,  owned  by  John  S.  Bogan.  It  was 
started  in  1851.  Mr.  John  A.  V/all  and  Mr.  Baugh  were  among 
his  employes.     The  latter  worked  three  years  with  Mr.  Bogan. 

In  1862  Mr.  Baugh  and  L.  M.  Amala,  a  native  of  the  Sand- 
wich Islands,  started  the  first  paper  published  in  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains outside  of  Denver.  This  was  called  the  Mining  Life  and  was 
published  at  Central  City,  Colorado.  Mr.  Baugh  was  afterward 
one  of  the  founders  of  the  Sioux  City  (Iowa)  Journal,  in  1864. 
He  did  editorial  work  on  many  daily  papers  afterwards.  In  1868 
he  started  the  Fairfield  (Illinois)  Democrat,  and  successfully  man- 
aged it  for  eight  years.  He  then  went  to  Evansville,  where  he  did 
editorial  work.  He  was  always  regarded  as  a  very  capable  man, 
having  a  felicity  of  expression  and  being  a  painstaking  editor. 

Mr.  Baugh  returned  to  Mount  Vernon  about  sixteen  years  ago 
and  assumed  charge  of  the  News,  and  later  published  the  Demo- 
crat here,  which  was  merged  with  the  News  in  1901.  It  is  now 
published  by  the  Mount  Vernon  News  Company,  incorporated,  of 
which  our  subject  is  editor. 

The  domestic  life  of  Mr.  Baugh  began  in  1866  at  Marshall- 
town,  Iowa,  when  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Mary  C.  Swan- 
son,  of  that  city.    Two  sons  have  blessed  this  union,  Harry  B.,  who 


442  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

is  engaged  in  the  restaurant  business  in  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah ;  Ernest 
V.  is  superintendent  of  the  dining  car  department  of  the  Baltimore 
&  Ohio  Railroad,  with  headquarters  in  Baltimore. 

The  subject's  wife,  who  was  a  woman  of  many  estimable 
traits,  passed  to  her  rest  February  3,  1908. 

Mr.  Baugh  has  taken  considerable  interest  in  politics,  but  the 
only  office  he  ever  held  was  that  of  Police  Magistrate  of  Mount 
Vernon,  which  he  resigned.  He  is  a  Mason  in  all  three  of  its 
branches,  the  Blue  Lodge,  the  Chapter  and  Commandery.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Methodist  church.  He  commands  the  unqualified 
respect  of  all  who  know  him. 


JAMES  R.  WINN. 


President  of  the  Winn  Lumber  Company,  of  Mount  Vernon 
and  Waltonville,  and  a  business  man  of  high  standing  and  wide 
reputation,  is  a  native  of  Arkansas,  born  in  the  town  of  Hillsboro 
in  the  year  1873.  His  father,  Powhatan  Winn,  who  was  also  born 
and  reared  in  the  same  state,  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  a  man 
of  sterling  worth  in  the  community  where  he  resided.  His  mother 
bore  the  maiden  name  of  Ada  L.  Oaks,  was  descended  from  an  old 
Ohio  family,  representatives  of  which  moved  to  Arkansas  many 
years  ago  and  have  since  been  identified  with  various  parts  of  the 
commonwealth.  Powhatan  Winn  was  a  plain,  industrious,  law 
abiding  citizen  and  belonged  to  that  large  and  eminently  respectable 
class  of  yeomanry  who,  in  a  quiet,  unostentatious  way,  add  stability 
to  the  body  politic  and  promote  the  interests  of  their  fellow  men. 
He  departed  this  life  in  1898,  his  good  wife  preceded  him  to  the 
silent  land  in  1 890,  the  loss  of  both  being  profoundly  deplored  by 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL,  443 

the  neighbors  and  friends  among  whom  they  Hved  and  by  whom 
they  were  greatly  esteemed. 

The  family  of  Powhatan  and  Ada  Winn  consisted  of  nine 
children,  seven  of  whom  are  still  living,  namely:  James  R.,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  review;  Frank  W.,  of  Albuquerque,  New  Mexico; 
Byron  A.,  of  Mount  Vernon,  Illinois;  Richard  P.,  who  lies  at  Pine 
Bluff,  Arkansas;  Owen  O.,  Clyde  M.,  and  Flora,  all  three  reside  in 
Mount  Vernon.  Those  deceased  were  Louis  M.,  the  third  in  order 
of  birth,  and  Everett,  who  was  the  youngest  of  the  family.  The 
Winns  have  long  been  identified  with  various  parts  of  the  South, 
notably  with  the  state  of  Mississippi,  of  which  the  subject's  father, 
James  R.  Winn,  was  a  native.  He  was  a  planter  and  early  achieved 
considerable  local  prominence  in  the  county  of  his  residence  which 
he  served  as  Sheriff  and  in  various  other  official  capacities,  besides 
taking  an  influential  part  in  developing  the  mineral  resources  of  the 
country  and  promoting  its  agricultural  interests.  In  an  early  day 
when  Arkansas  was  a  new  and  comparatively  undeveloped  terri- 
tory he  joined  the  tide  of  emigration  thither  and  was  among  the 
first  settlers  and  pioneer  planters  of  what  is  now  Union  county.  He 
made  the  journey  to  the  new  country  under  many  difficulties  and 
hardships,  having  been  obliged  to  cut  a  way  for  many  miles  through 
a  dense  and  at  intervals,  well-nigh  impenetrable  forest,  into  whose 
depths  no  white  man  had  ever  penetrated,  besides  encountering 
many  swamps  and  swiftly  rushing  streams  to  cross  which  required 
much  hard  labor  and  not  a  few  dangers.  Shortly  after  his  destina- 
tion was  reached  he  became  a  leader  in  the  settlement  which  he  as- 
sisted to  establish  and  in  due  time  rose  to  a  place  of  prominence  in 
Union  county,  where  he  was  elected  Sheriff,  besides  holding  other 
positions  of  honor  and  trust  and  becoming  widely  known  among  the 
leading  Democratic  politicians  of  the  state.  His  influence  locally 
and  elsewhere  was  great  and  at  one  time  he  was  earnestly  solicited 


444  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

by  the  leading  representatives  of  his  party  to  accept  the  nomination 
for  Governor,  but  refused  the  honor  although  well  qualified  to  fill 
that  or  any  other  office  within  the  gift  of  the  people.  This  public- 
spirited  man  and  eminently  honorable  and  praise-worthy  citizen  died 
in  the  year  1884  and  left  to  his  posterity  the  memory  of  a  useful 
life  and  an  honorable  name.  The  early  life  of  James  R.  Winn,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  was  devoid  of  thrilling  experience  and  con- 
tains little  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  writer  who  seeks  to  interest 
his  readers  by  a  recital  of  the  exciting  or  tragic.  He  spent  his  child- 
hood under  the  parental  roof  in  the  state  of  his  birth,  later  accom- 
panied the  family  to  Ohio  and  thence  after  a  brief  residence  returned 
to  Arkansas,  where  he  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools 
and  worked  several  years  as  manager  of  a  saw  mill  for  a  St.  Louis 
lumber  firm.  Subsequently  he  embarked  in  the  manufacture  of 
lumber  upon  his  own  responsibility  and  was  thus  engaged  for  two 
years,  at  the  expiration  of  which  time  he  organized  the  Winn  Lum- 
ber Company  at  Mount  Vernon,  Illinois,  with  which  he  is  still  con- 
nected and  of  which  he  is  now  president  and  manager. 

The  Winn  Lumber  Company  is  incorporated  under  the  laws 
of  Illinois  and  since  its  organization,  in  the  year  1905.  to  the  pres- 
ent time  the  business  has  steadily  grown  in  magnitude  until  it  now 
takes  a  wide  range,  the  enterprise  being  liberally  patronized  not  only 
in  Mount  Vernon  but  at  Waltonville,  where  a  branch  office  has  been 
established  with  most  encouraging  results.  In  the  management  of 
this  large  and  growing  enterprise  Mr.  Winn  displays  ability  of  a 
high  order  and  he  possesses  the  faculty  of  foreseeing  with  remark- 
able accuracy  the  future  outcome  of  his  own  well  laid  plans.  Meth- 
odical as  well  as  intensely  practical  he  keeps  in  touch  with  every  de- 
tail of  the  business  and  has  it  so  well  in  hand  that  his  plans  seldom, 
if  ever,  miscarry,  nor  is  his  judgment  ever  at  fault. 

Mr.  Winn  is  essentially  a  business  man  and  as  such  ranks 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL,  445 

among  the  most  enterprising  and  successful  of  his  compeers  in  Mount 
Vernon  and  Jefferson  county.  He  has  done  much  to  promote  the 
material  prosperity  of  the  city  and  give  it  an  honorable  reputation 
among  the  important  business  centers  of  Southern  Illinois,  and  also 
manifests  an  abiding  interest  in  other  than  his  own  affairs,  being 
alive  to  all  that  tends  to  the  general  welfare  of  the  community  and 
the  social  and  moral  advancement  of  his  fellow  men.  He  is  a  stock- 
holder in  the  King  City  Fair  Association,  in  addition  to  which  he 
has  assisted  in  inaugurating  and  carrying  to  successful  issue  other  en- 
terprises of  a  local  character  and  lends  his  influence  and  support  to 
whatever  makes  for  the  progress  and  best  interests  of  his  city,  coun- 
ty and  state.  Financially  his  success  has  been  commensurate  with 
the  energy  displayed  in  all  of  his  undertakings  and  although  some- 
what handicapped  by  a  severe  bodily  injury,  the  result  of  an  acci- 
dent by  which  he  lost  his  left  arm,  he  has  moved  steadily  forward  in 
the  accomplishment  of  his  purposes  until  as  already  indicated  he  now 
occupies  a  conspicuous  place  in  the  business  world  and  is  highly 
esteemed  by  the  people  of  his  adopted  city.  Like  the  majority  of 
enterprising  men  he  takes  an  interest  in  public  affairs  and  has  well 
denned  opinions  and  the  courage  of  his  convictions  in  the  leading 
questions  of  the  times.  He  is  a  Democrat,  but  not  an  active  poli- 
tician, nevertheless  he  is  interested  in  the  success  of  his  party  and  its 
candidates  and  endeavors  to  discharge  the  duties  of  citizenship  in 
the  intelligent  manner  characteristic  of  the  wide-awake  American 
who  makes  love  of  country  paramount  to  every  other  consideration. 
Mr.  Winn  is  unmarried  and  belongs  to  no  lodge  or  fraternal  organ- 
ization, despite  which  he  is  an  important  factor  in  the  social  life  of 
Mount  Vernon  and  very  popular  among  the  many  warm  friends 
with  whom  he  is  accustomed  to  associate.  Being  in  the  broadest 
sense  of  the  term  a  self-made  man,  he  has  reason  to  feel  proud  of 
the  honorable  position  in  the  business  world  to  which  he  has  attained 


446  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

and  in  view  of  the  fact  that  he  is  still  in  the  prime  of  life  his  success 
in  the  past  affords  an  assurance  of  its  continuance  in  the  future  but 
in  still  larger  measure. 


D.  H.  ARENDALE.  M.  D. 

There  is  no  calling,  however  humble,  in  which  enterprise  and 
industry,  coupled  with  a  well  directed  purpose,  will  not  be  product- 
ive of  some  measure  of  success,  and  in  the  medical  profession  the 
qualities  mentioned  are  especially  essential.  Under  certain  circum- 
stances a  physician  lacking  them  may  eke  out  an  existence,  but  he 
who  would  be  eminently  successful  must  possess  a  definite  aim  and 
must  persevere  in  the  pursuit  of  his  purpose,  besides  having  the  other 
necessary  qualities  of  head  and  heart  to  render  him  popular  with 
the  public.  These  the  subject  of  this  sketch  seems  to  possess,  since 
he  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  honored  and  influential  citizens  of  Jef- 
ferson county,  Illinois,  where  he  has  long  maintained  his  home,  en- 
joying a  wide  practice  in  his  chosen  field  of  endeavor  and  command- 
ing the  respect  and  esteem  of  the  most  equivocal  order.  Doctor  Aren- 
dale  is  a  splendid  illustration  of  what  a  man  may  develop  into 
if  he  has  the  grit,  industry  and  perseverance,  although  surrounded  in 
early  life  by  many  obstacles  and  discouraging  environment. 

Dr.  D.  H.  Arendale,  a  well  known  physician  of  Mount  Ver- 
non, Illinois,  was  born  May  28,  1857,  in  Marion  county,  Tennes- 
see, one-half  mile  from  the  Alabama  state  line.  His  early  school- 
ing was  quite  primitive,  having  been  obtained  in  the  log  school- 
houses  of  those  days,  in  which  split  logs  were  used  for  seats  and 
other  similar  furnishings.  His  first  effort  to  gain  a  livelihood  was  in 
carrying  produce  on  horseback,  often  a  distance  of  twelve  miles, 
seeking  a  market  for  various  kinds  of  farm  products,  and  he  al- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  447 

ways  succeeded  in  getting  good  prices.  He  was  always  at  work 
what  time  he  was  not  in  school,  having  left  the  log  school-house 
when  seventeen  years  old  and  desiring  to  become  a  doctor  he  entered 
Burritte  College  in  Tennessee  in  1874  and  was  accredited  with  be- 
ing the  most  industrious  pupil  in  that  school.  At  a  meeting  of  the  fac- 
ulty a  few  days  before  the  close  of  the  term  it  was  agreed  that  Mr. 
Arendale  was  the  best  student  in  the  school.  In  1875  and  1876 
he  attended  Doran's  Cove  high  school,  where  he  studied  so  assid- 
uously that  he  seriously  impared  his  nervous  system,  having  never 
completely  recovered  from  the  effects  of  the  over-work  he  did  there. 
While  here  he  mastered  most  of  the  higher  branches  of  mathematics, 
such  as  geometry  and  trigonometry,  and  at  the  close  of  the  school 
was  designated  by  the  president  of  Pikeville  College  as  a  suitable 
pupil  to  demonstrate  mathematical  work,  which  he  did  to  the  entire 
satisfaction  of  all.  In  1877  he  was  tendered  a  professorship  in  the 
William  and  Emma  Austin  College  at  Stevenson,  Alabama,  and  he 
also  taught  in  the  free  schools  of  Alabama  and  Tennessee,  giving 
entire  satisfaction  to  both  patron  and  pupil.  When  only  eighteen 
years  old  he  applied  to  the  trustees  of  a  country  school,  who  in- 
formed him  that  it  had  always  required  a  bearded  man  to  teach  their 
school,  but  our  subject  asked  to  be  "tried  out"  which  was  done  and 
he  taught  the  school  to  the  end  of  the  term  in  a  most  gratifying  man- 
ner, having  among  his  pupils  one  boy  who  weighed  over  two  hun- 
dred pounds  whom  he  taught  his  letters.  This  was  the  Island 
Creek,  south  of  Bridgeport,  Alabama. 

In  1880  our  subject  raised  a  cotton  crop,  working  early  and 
late  in  order  to  get  enough  money  together  to  defray  expenses  in  a 
medical  college.  His  close  application  to  farm  work  in  Jackson 
county,  Alabama,  further  demonstrated  his  determination  to  suc- 
ceed, and,  useless  to  say  that  his  subsequent  studying  of  medicine 
resulted  in  the  acquisition  of  a  carefully  trained  mind  in  this  line. 


448  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

He  was  a  private  student  under  Doctor  Westmoreland  at  Atlanta, 
Georgia,  where  he  received  most  of  his  medical  training  and  while 
there  he  was  complimented  by  the  professor  of  anatomy  in  the  state 
medical  school  upon  his  profound  information  in  minute  anatomy. 
Doctor  Arendale  took  a  course  of  medicine  at  Nashville,  Tennes- 
see. This  was  after  he  had  tried  to  practice  medicine  at  Elk  Prairie, 
Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  where  he  came  in  October,  1882.  On 
the  day  after  his  arrival  while  passing  the  Quinn  school-house  just 
as  the  school  closed  for  the  day,  noticing  a  very  beautiful  young 
girl  among  the  pupils  our  subject  inquired  of  Francis  Cox,  who  was 
driving  him,  who  the  young  lady  was.  Upon  being  told  that  she 
was  Miss  Louie  Bodine,  he  replied,  "That's  my  wife."  In  less 
than  two  months  they  were  engaged  and  were  married  in  the  fol- 
lowing month  of  June,  the  young  couple  spending  their  honey-moon 
that  summer  at  the  subject's  old  home  in  Tennessee,  and  his  bride 
accompanied  him  to  Nashville,  when  school  opened  the  following 
fall,  where  she  assisted  him  with  his  school  work  and  did  her  part 
in  economizing.  Toward  the  close  of  the  term  their  money  ran  out 
and  they  had  a  hard  time  to  live,  having  to  borrow  money  of  the 
instructors  in  the  college  to  defray  part  of  their  expenses  back  to 
Illinois,  having  settled  in  Elk  Prairie  among  their  relations.  Doc- 
tor Arendale  fitted  up  an  old  building  in  which  they  started  house- 
keeping. Although  almost  poverty  stricken  and  in  poor  health,  re- 
sulting in  too  close  application  to  study,  our  subject  was  too  self- 
reliant  to  ask  for  help  and  for  the  first  two  years  of  his  married  life 
he  never  knew  one  day  where  he  would  get  something  to  eat  for 
the  following  day,  maintaining  his  office  in  his  residence — an  old 
stable.  In  1 886  he  was  appointed  postmaster  at  Elk  Prairie  and 
conditions  took  a  better  aspect.  This  was  during  Cleveland's  ad- 
ministration. Doctor  Arendale  purchased  an  acre  of  ground  and 
erected  a  three  room  house  on  it,  using  the  front  room  as  post-office 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  449 

and  also  keeping  a  few  articles  to  sell,  his  stock  of  goods  having 
been  obtained  by  giving  a  fifty-dollar  note  with  his  mother-in-law 
for  security.  His  stock  consisted  of  very  small  quantities  of  such 
materials  as  were  used  by  his  neighbors,  such  as  coal  oil,  which  he 
first  purchased  in  quantities  of  one  gallon  at  a  time,  his  first  stock 
of  tobacco  consisting  of  one  dollar  and  fifty-five  cents'  worth,  and  his 
stock  of  dry-goods  was  a  half  bolt  of  light  shirting,  five  cent  calico. 
But  prosperity  came  and  he  soon  afterwards  purchased  such  articles 
in  lots  of  one  hundred  dollars'  worth  and  his  practice  having  grown 
in  the  meantime,  he  was  enabled  in  the  course  of  two  years  by  his 
practice,  the  profits  in  the  store  and  his  salary  as  postmaster  to  ac- 
cumulate the  sum  of  two  thousand  dollars. 

Prosperity  has  attended  the  efforts  of  our  subject  since  those 
days  and  he  observed  the  larger  opportunities  that  were  to  be  found 
at  the  county  seat.  Mount  Vernon,  where  he  moved. 

Since  locating  in  Mount  Vernon  he  has  practically  retired 
from  the  active  practice  of  his  profession  and  has  devoted  his  time 
and  attention  to  real  estate  and  the  management  of  the  Palace  Hotel, 
the  latter  being  one  of  the  leading  and  most  successful  in  the  city, 
recently  rebuilt  and  refurnished.  Through  hard  work,  economy 
and  self-denial  the  doctor  and  his  wife  have  accumulated  a  compe- 
tency, owning  valuable  property  in  Mount  Vernon  in  addition  to 
profitable  investments  in  California. 


FRANK  SNYDER. 

Upon  the  industrial  activity  of  a  city  or  community  depends 
in  a  very  large  measure  the  prosperity  of  the  people  and  the  men 

recognized  as  leading  citizens  and  directors  of  progress  are  those 

29 


450  wall's  history  of  jefferson  cc,  ill. 

who  have  in  hand  the  management  and  control  of  large  and  import- 
ant enterprises.  The  gentleman  whose  name  initiates  this  article  and 
who  holds  the  important  position  of  superintendent  of  the  Mount 
Vernon  Car  Manufacturing  Company  is  entitled  to  distinction  as 
one  of  the  progressive  business  men  of  Jefferson  county,  having  for 
several  years  been  officially  connected  with  the  leading  industrial 
enterprises  of  Southern  Illinois  and  earned  an  honorable  reputation 
among  the  captains  of  industry  throughout  the  state. 

Frank  Snyder  is  a  native  of  New  York  and  the  only  child  of 
John  and  Elizabeth  Schultz  Snyder,  both  born  in  the  Empire  state, 
the  father  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  dying  when  the  subject  was 
three  years  old,  the  mother  being  called  to  her  final  rest  when  her 
son  was  a  mere  babe.  The  subject  was  born  on  December  22, 
1 850,  and  being  bereft  of  his  parents  at  a  tender  age  was  early  in  life 
thrown  upon  his  own  resources.  After  the  death  of  his  father  he 
was  taken  by  his  grandmother  with  whom  he  lived  until  his  thirteenth 
year  when  he  began  earning  his  own  livelihood  by  working  on  a 
farm  to  which  kind  of  service  he  devoted  the  five  years  ensuing, 
meanwhile  as  opportunities  permitted  he  attended  the  district  schools 
of  his  native  county  and  in  due  time  made  fair  progress  in  the  com- 
mon English  branches,  but  the  greater  part  of  his  education,  how- 
ever, consists  of  the  valuable  practical  knowledge  obtained  by  con- 
tact with  the  world  and  his  fellow  men,  and  the  close  and  intelligent 
observation  which  develops  and  strengthens  the  mind  and  enables  it 
to  grasp  and  solve  the  great  problems  which  must  ultimately  be  met 
by  everyone  obliged  to  carve  out  his  own  destiny.  At  the  age  of 
eighteen  young  Snyder  began  working  at  carpentry  and  soon  be- 
came not  only  an  efficient  but  a  skillful  mechanic  whose  services 
accordingly  were  much  in  demand.  He  followed  this  trade  for  a 
number  of  years,  principally  at  or  near  his  native  place,  but  in  1872 
he  went  to  St.  Louis  and  entered  the  employ  of  the  Missouri  Car 
and  Foundry  Company  of  that  city,  accepting  a  position  in  the  car- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  451 

pentry  department  at  a  daily  wage.  His  services  proved  eminently 
satisfactory  to  his  superiors  as  his  advancement  from  time  to  time 
attests  and  in  1878  he  was  assigned  the  important  and  responsible 
duty  of  superintending  the  erection  of  new  cars  and  additional  shops, 
which  task  he  performed  in  due  time  very  creditaby  to  the  company. 

Mr.  Snyder  continued  with  the  above  firm  until  1882,  when  he 
accepted  a  similar  position  at  St.  Charles,  Missouri,  where  he  re- 
mained four  years.  Severing  his  connection  with  his  employers  at 
the  latter  place  in  1886  he  became  assistant  superintendent  of  the 
Litchfield  Car  &  Machine  Company,  Litchfield,  Illinois,  and  so  ably 
and  faithfully  did  he  discharge  the  duties  of  the  place  that  he  was 
subsequently,  1 887,  appointed  by  the  president,  superintendent  of  the 
works,  a  position  of  great  responsibility  which  he  worthily  filled  dur- 
ing the  following  three  years.  When  the  Mount  Vernon  Car  and 
Manufacturing  Company  was  established  Mr.  Snyder  resigned  his 
position  at  Litchfield  to  accept  the  general  superintendency  of  the 
new  concern,  a  place  he  still  holds  and  in  which  he  has  displayed  a 
technical  knowledge  of  every  detail  of  the  plant,  contributing  greatly 
to  the  continuous  growth  of  the  business  and  doing  more  than  any 
other  man  connected  with  the  enterprise  to  place  it  upon  its  present 
solid  basis  and  give  it  an  honorable  reputation  for  which  it  is  now 
distinguished. 

Mr.  Snyder  has  spared  no  reasonable  effort  to  promote  the  in- 
terests of  the  large  and  growing  establishment  with  which  he  is  identi- 
fied, making  every  other  consideration  subordinate  to  this  one  object 
and  as  indicated  above  all  connected  with  the  concern  concede  that 
much  of  its  phenomenal  success  is  directly  attributable  to  his  energy, 
foresight  and  systematic  methods  of  management  and  they  look  to 
him  to  lead  the  enterprise  to  still  greater  achievements. 

As  may  be  readily  inferred  from  the  foregoing  brief  account 
of  his  rise  from  an  humble  and  obscure  position  to  the  high  and  re- 
sponsible place  he  now  occupies  in  industrial  circles,  Mr.  Snyder  is 


452  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co„  ill. 

a  man  of  remarkable  ability  and  superior  judgment,  whose  enter- 
prising spirit  no  difficulties  can  daunt  or  discourage.  With  a  tenacity 
of  purpose  as  rare  as  it  is  admirable  he  seems  to  possess  the  faculty 
of  moulding  circumstances  to  suit  his  ends  and  of  forseeing  with  re- 
markable accuracy  the  future  outcome  of  present  action.  These  with 
other  equally  strong  and  well  defined  characteristics  peculiarly  fit 
him  for  leadership  in  great  and  important  undertakings  and  enable 
him  to  obtain  the  largest  possible  results  where  many  men  would  fail. 
His  success  in  surmounting  difficulties  and  reaching  his  present  in- 
flueritial  position  in  the  industrial  world  as  well  as  a  prominent  place 
in  the  community  affords  a  slight  idea  of  the  business  capacity  and 
untiring  energy  of  one  who  since  early  youth  has  been  obliged  to 
rely  entirely  upon  his  own  efforts  while  making  his  way  through  life 
and  achieving  a  standing  among  his  fellows  such  as  few  attain.  In 
the  broadest  and  most  liberal  sense  of  the  term  he  is  a  self-made  man 
and  as  such  ranks  with  the  most  enterprising  and  successful  of  his 
compeers,  discharging  every  obligation  as  becomes  a  true  citizen  and 
showing  himself  worthy  of  the  confidence  reposed  in  his  integrity 
and  honor  by  those  with  whom  his  lot  has  been  cast. 

Mr.  Snyder  is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  takes  an  active  in- 
terest not  only  in  party  questions  but  in  public  affairs  as  well.  He  is 
a  friend  of  education  and  has  been  president  of  the  township  School 
Board  for  a  period  of  four  years,  during  which  time  he  was  largely 
instrumental  in  bringing  about  the  erection  of  the  handsome  new 
building  recently  completed  and  now  considered  one  of  the  finest. 
He  has  achieved  a  standing  among  his  fellows  such  as  few  attain.  In 
matters  religious  he  is  a  regular  attendant  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
of  Mount  Vernon  and  one  of  the  most  liberal  contributors  to  its  sup- 
port. Mr.  Snyder  is  a  Mason  of  high  degree  and  an  influential 
worker  in  the  Blue  Lodge,  Chapter  and  Commandery,  holding  at 
this  time  the  position  of  eminent  commander  of  Patton  Commandery 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  453 

69.  He  is  also  identified  with  the  Order  of  Ben  Hur,  Knights  of 
Honor  and  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security,  and  the  Benevolent 
and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  in  addition  to  which  organizations 
he  keeps  in  touch  with  various  private  charities  and  is  ever  ready  to 
respond  to  the  call  of  sickness,  poverty  and  distress.  Socially  he  is 
esteemed  by  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  admirers  and  his  popularity 
with  all  classes  and  conditions  of  people  is  limited  only  by  the  range 
of  his  acquaintance. 

Mr.  Snyder  is  a  married  man  and  the  head  of  a  household 
that  is  well  known  in  the  best  society  circles  of  Mount  Vernon.  The 
lady  who  now  bears  his  name  and  presides  over  his  home  was  for- 
merly Miss  Sarah  E.  Rites,  of  Springfield,  Illinois,  but  at  the  time 
of  her  marriage,  in  the  year  1 872,  a  resident  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Snyder  have  no  children  of  their  own,  but  some  years 
ago  the  latter's  niece  became  an  inmate  of  their  home  and  on  her 
they  have  lavished  the  same  wealth  of  love  and  affection  they  would 
have  shown  one  of  their  own  flesh  and  blood.  They  took  the  child 
when  quite  young  and  have  reared  her  with  great  tenderness  and 
care,  sparing  neither  pains  nor  expense  in  providing  for  her  education 
and  fitting  her  for  the  refined  circles  in  which  she  is  destined  ulti- 
mately to  move.  The  young  lady  possesses  remarkable  musical  tal- 
ent and  is  now  in  Leipsic,  Germany,  prosecuting  her  musical  studies 
under  the  direction  of  some  of  the  great  masters  of  that  and  other 
European  cities. 


JASPER  N.  PETTIT. 


The  Grand  Army  button  marks  Mr.  Pettit  as  a  patriot  of  the 
first  rank  and  his  social  and  religious  relations  are  in  perfect  harmony 
with  what  is  highest  and  best  in  his  daily  intercourse  with  his  fellow 
men. 


454  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

Jasper  N.  Pettit  was  born  in  Crawford  county,  Pennsylvania., 
April  22,  1844,  was  the  son  of  Windsor  and  Eliza  (Burger)  Pet- 
tit,  the  former  being  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  latter  of 
New  York  and  of  German  descent. 

After  their  marriage  in  Pennsylvania  the  parents  of  Mr.  Pettit 
removed  to  Starke  county,  Illinois,  later  to  Iowa,  and  from  there  to 
Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  in  1865.  He  followed  farming,  but  sold 
his  farm  a  few  years  before  his  death  and  came  to  Mount  Vernon, 
where  he  lived  in  retirement  until  his  death,  at  the  age  of  seventy 
years.  He  was  an  ardent  Republican  and  both  he  and  his  com- 
panion were  devout  members  of  the  Methodist  church.  Mrs.  Bur- 
ger, mother  of  Mrs.  Pettit,  came  to  Illinois  also,  and  ended  her  days 
here,  living  to  an  advanced  age.  Her  husband  died  in  the  East  a 
number  of  years  previous. 

Mr.  Pettit  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  Iowa 
and  Illinois  and  remained  under  the  parental  roof  until  1862,  at 
which  time  he  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Twenty-seventh  Iowa  Vol- 
unteer Infantry.  This  was  the  beginning  of  a  long  and  trying  expe- 
rience, the  details  of  which  were  such  as  were  common  to  the  brave 
boys  who  have  preserved  for  us  our  precious  heritage  of  "liberty 
and  union,  one  and  inseparable."  His  first  battle  was  at  Red  River, 
Arkansas,  followed  by  such  conflicts  as  those  at  Nashville,  Mobile 
Bay,  and  the  various  other  campaings  and  battles  in  which  his  regi- 
ment took  part.  His  term  of  service  lacked  eight  days  of  being  three 
years  in  length,  and  he  was  mustered  out  at  Clinton,  Iowa,  in  Au- 
gust, 1865.  Mr.  Pettit's  brother,  George  D.,  enlisted  in  the  Ninth 
Iowa  Cavalry,  and  served  also  for  three  years. 

After  returning  from  the  war  Mr.  Pettit  came  to  Jefferson 
county,  Illinois,  and  took  up  his  residence  on  the  farm  he  now  occu- 
pies. This  farm  is  made  up  largely  of  rich  bottom  land,  and  em- 
braces eighty-three  acres.     Mr.  Pettit  has  spared  no  pains  or  effort 


WALL'S  HISTORY  OF  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  455 

in  bringing  the  farm  up  to  the  best  in  the  neighborhood.  He  has  put 
up  modem  buildings,  and  has  five  hundred  trees,  mostly  apple.  He 
has  given  considerable  attention  also  to  stock  raising,  his  horses  and 
mules  bringing  most  excellent  prices  in  the  market,  while  his  Jersey 
Red  hogs  are  constantly  m  demand  by  breeders  and  stock  buyers. 

On  February  1 4,  1 869,  Mr.  Pettit  was  married  to  Miss  Eliza 
C.  Johnson,  a  native  of  Jefferson  county,  and  daughter  of  Thomas 
C.  and  Sarah  J.  (Frost)  Johnson,  both  of  whom  were  born  in  Ten- 
nessee. 

Mrs.  Pettit's  grandfather  was  a  physician  and  practiced  medi- 
cine in  this  country  in  early  days.  Her  parents  were  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  South,  and  both  lived  to  exceed  the 
age  of  sixty  years. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pettit  have  become  the  parents  of  three  chil- 
dren. Mary  was  born  in  1872  and  is  the  wife  of  Robert  Moss,  a 
farmer  m  Jefferson  county,  and  the  mother  of  two  children ;  Charles 
A.  was  born  in  1874,  is  married  and  has  two  children;  Thomas  W. 
was  born  in  1877,  and  died  at  the  age  of  seven  and  one-half  years. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pettit  are  congenial  neighors  and  active  workers  in 
the  Methodist  church,  in  which  Mr.  Pettit  has  been  steward  and 
trustee  for  over  thirty  years.  He  has  served  many  terms  as  super- 
intendent of  the  Sunday  school  and  both  he  and  his  wife  are  active 
teachers  in  the  work  at  the  present  time. 


E.  W.  PETERS. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  made  proper  use  of  his  oppor- 
tunities and  he  has  prospered  in  his  business  from  year  to  year,  con- 
ducting all  his  affairs  successfully  and  carefully,  displaying  in  all 


456  wall's  history  of  jefferson  cc,  ill. 

his  actions  an  aptitude  for  careful  and  correct  management.  He  has 
not  let  the  accumulation  of  a  competency  affect  in  any  way  his  act- 
ions toward  those  less  fortunate  and  he  always  has  a  cheerful  word 
for  those  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact  and  he  occupies  a  notable 
position  among  the  influential  citizens  of  Jefferson  county,  both  in  a 
business  and  social  way. 

E.  W.  Peters,  the  well  known  secretary  and  general  manager 
of  the  Jefferson  County  Lumber  Company,  was  born  in  the  northern 
part  of  Germany,  March  25,  1862,  the  son  of  John  Peters,  also  a 
native  of  Germany.  John  Peters  and  his  son,  our  subject,  came  to 
America  in  1 866,  settling  in  Baltimore,  Maryland,  where  they  lived 
one  year.  From  that  city  they  came  to  Bunker  Hill,  Illinois,  where 
the  subject's  father  lived  until  his  death,  April  13,  1908.  He  was 
a  shoemaker  by  trade  and  a  most  accomplished  workman.  The 
mother  of  the  subject  was  known  in  her  maidenhood  as  Antje  Park, 
who  was  also  a  native  of  Germany.  She  still  lives  at  the  old  home- 
stead at  Bunker  Hill.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Peters  were  the  parents 
of  nine  children,  six  of  whom  are  living  in  1909,  namely:  E.  W., 
our  subject;  Anna  Noel,  of  Bunker  Hill,  Illinois;  John,  also  of 
Bunker  Hill;  Mrs.  Frances  Best,  also  living  at  Bunker  Hill; 
Charles,  of  Bunker  Hill;  Edward,  of  Nokomis,  Illinois. 

Mr.  Peters  received  his  schooling  and  early  educational  train- 
ing at  Bunker  Hill.  Having  a  business  bent  he  early  decided^  to 
enter  the  lumber  world,  and  accordingly  in  1901  he  became  asso- 
ciated with  the  Jefferson  County  Lumber  Company  as  secretary  and 
manager.  He  had  lived  at  Pana,  Illinois,  for  a  period  of  thirteen 
years  prior  to  coming  to  Mount  Vernon,  where  he  was  employed  in 
the  capacity  of  yard  manager  of  a  lumber  company.  The  firm  with 
which  he  is  at  present  connected  is  one  of  the  largest  in  this  locality 
and  it  does  a  thriving  business.  Mr.  Peters  has  mastered  this  line 
of  business  and  the  customers  of  this  company  know  that  they  will 
receive  courteous  treatment  and  get  a  square  deal  here. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  457 

Mr.  Peters  was  united  in  marriage  in  May,  1902,  to  Mrs. 
Pearl  (DeGroot)  Wiggs,  who  was  born  and  reared  in  Illinois.  She 
is  the  representative  of  a  fine  old  Southern  family  of  considerable 
influence  in  their  community. 

The  beautiful  home  of  the  subject  and  wife  has  been  blessed 
by  the  birth  of  three  children,  namely:  William,  Anna  and  Frances. 
One  boy,  Frederick,  the  son  of  Mrs.  Peters  by  her  former  husband, 
lives  with  our  subject. 

Mr.  Peters  is  a  public-spirited  man,  always  interested  in  the 
development  of  his  community,  and  while  living  at  Pana,  he  ably 
serVed  as  Alderman  for  two  years.  He  belongs  to  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  the  Modern  Woodmen  and  the  Methodist  church.  In  his 
political  relations  he  supports  the  Republican  party. 

The  Jefferson  County  Lumber  Company  is  a  corporation  and 
as  already  intimated  is  one  of  the  substantial  and  most  important  in- 
dustries of  the  county,  and  it  is  steadily  and  rapidly  growing  in  scope 
and  importance,  doing  an  extensive  business  with  remote  localities 
and  much  of  its  recent  prosperity  is  unquestionably  due  to  Mr.  Pet- 
ers' excellent  management.  Our  subject  is  a  fine  fellow  to  know, 
pleasant,  a  big,  hearty  fellow  of  fine  physical  appearance,  a  man  of 
sound  judgment,  prudent  habits  and  frugal  industry;  and  all  who 
have  formed  his  acquaintance  since  coming  to  Mount  Vernon  are  his 
friends. 


BEECHWORTH  BRUMBAUGH. 

The  progenitor  of  the  family  of  this  name,  so  long  identified 
with  mercantile  interests  in  Jefferson  county,  was  a  native  of  Ger- 
many, who  came  to  Pennsylvania  when  a  young  man.     He  settled 


458  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

near  Kittanning,  Armstrong  county,  and  reared  a  family.  Among 
his  children  was  Joseph  S.  Brumbaugh,  whose  birth  occurred  on 
the  Pennsylvania  homestead.  After  growing  up  he  became  a  mer- 
chant, removed  to  Illinois  in  1857  and  located  at  Middleton, 
Wayne  county,  where  he  was  engaged  in  business  for  many  years. 
In  1 872,  he  transferred  his  scene  of  operations  to  Dahlgren,  Ham- 
ilton county,  where  he  resumed  and  prosecuted  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness until  his  death  in  April,  1884.  The  manner  in  which  he  met 
his  wife  involved  something  of  a  romance.  When  still  a  young  man, 
he  had  gone  to  California  and  thence  to  Australia  in  search  of  gold. 
In  the  latter  country  he  met  Bridget  Maria  Fox,  who  was  born  in 
Ireland,  but  went  to  Australia  with  relatives  in  her  young  girlhood. 
After  his  marriage  to  this  lady  at  Sidney,  Mr.  Brumbaugh  remained 
in  that  country  four  or  five  years,  during  which  time  he  made  two 
fortunes.  He  returned  to  America  in  1 856,  visiting  his  wife's  fam- 
ily in  Ireland,  en  route,  and  when  he  reached  the  United  States,  lo- 
cated at  Kittanning,  Pennsylvania.  Subsequent  to  this  he  went 
through  his  experiences  in  Illinois,  as  described  above.  By  his  mar- 
riage with  Bridget  Fox  he  had  six  children :  Beechworth ;  Doretta, 
wife  of  Nathan  Sturman,  deceased;  Sidney,  deceased;  Lizzie  J., 
wife  of  S.  N.  Hollowell,  of  Dahlgren.  Illinois;  Ida  M.,  wife  of  W. 
B.  Hollowell,  of  St.  Louis;  John  P.,  of  Mount  Vernon. 

Beechworth  Brumbaugh,  eldest  of  this  family,  was  born  near 
Kittanning,  Pennsylvania,  January  5,  1857.  He  spent  his  early 
life  in  Dahlgren,  Illinois,  attending  the  public  schools  and  later  en- 
tering Hamilton  College  at  McLeansboro,  where  he  remained  dur- 
ing two  terms.  During  the  intervals  of  school  he  had  helped  his 
father  in  the  store  and  thus  acquired  an  elementary  acquaintance 
with  the  mercantile  business.  In  1875  he  embarked  in  business  for 
himself  at  Middleton,  but  two  years  later  removed  to  Dahlgren 
and  went  into  partnership  with  his  father.     After  five  years  in  this 


1  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  459 

connection,  he  resumed  business  on  his  own  account  in  the  same  city 
and  continued  this  until  1 888,  when  he  removed  to  Mount  Vernon. 
After  eight  years  here,  he  was  engaged  in  the  commission  business  in 
New  York  City  for  seven  years,  but  in  1 903  returned  to  Mount  Ver- 
non and  resumed  business  at  the  old  stand,  which  he  has  given  con- 
siderable celebrity  under  the  name  of  the  "Bee  Hive."  He  is  one 
of  the  prosperous  merchants  of  the  place  and  regarded  as  a  man 
of  excellent  judgment,  both  as  a  buyer  and  seller. 

In  1882,  Mr.  Brumbaugh  married  Anna  D.  Friel.  of  Mc- 
Leansboro,  by  whom  he  had  three  sons:  Fred,  deceased;  Willie, 
and  James  E.,  the  last  two  mentioned  being  residents  of  St,  Louis. 
His  second  wife  was  Laura  C.  Mayer  (nee  McLaughlin),  whom 
he  married  at  Mount  Vernon  in  1905.  The  only  child  by  this 
union  is  Beechworth  Brumbaugh,  Jr.  Mr.  Brumbaugh  has  pros- 
pered and  has  considerable  property  interests  outside  of  his  mercan- 
dise  operations.  He  owns  two  good  farms  in  Williamson  county, 
Illinois,  and  several  pieces  of  valuable  city  real  estate,  including  the 
building  in  which  his  store  is  located.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brumbaugh  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  enjoy  a  wide  circle 
of  acquaintances  and  friends. 


CHARLES  JUDSON  POOLE,  M.  D. 

The  medical  profession  has  a  number  of  able  representatives  in 
the  city  of  Mount  Vernon,  among  whom  is  the  well  known  and  suc- 
cessful physician  and  surgeon  whose  name  furnishes  the  caption  of 
this  sketch.  Although  younger  than  the  majority  of  his  compeers 
Doctor  Poole  made  commendable  progress  in  his  chosen  calling  and 
now  commands  a  very  extensive  practice  which  has  been  as  success- 
ful financially  as  professionally  and  which  is  steadily  growing  in 
magnitude  and  importance.    He  is  a  native  of  Jefferson  county,  Illi- 


460  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

nois,  and  the  fourth  of  a  family  of  five  children  whose  parents,  W. 
H.  and  Amelia  Poole,  were  born  in  Tennessee  and  Illinois  respec- 
tively, but  who  have  spent  their  married  life  in  Mount  Vernon, 
where  the  father  located  in  the  year  1860.  W.  H.  Poole  learned 
the  trade  of  wagon  making  when  a  young  man  and  soon  afterward 
locating  in  Mount  Vernon  started  the  first  wagon  making  shop  in 
Jefferson  county,  which  he  operated  for  a  number  of  years  with  en- 
couraging financial  results.  An  efficient  mechanic  who  always  took 
great  pride  in  his  work,  his  vehicles  early  acquired  sqch  a  reputation 
for  excellence  that  his  establishment  was  taxed  to  its  utmost  capac- 
ity to  meet  the  demand  for  them  and  for  many  years  his  wagons 
had  an  extensive  sale  throughout  Jefferson  county  and  were  pre- 
ferred to  any  other  on  the  market.  As  evidence  of  his  skill  and  su- 
perior workmanship  a  number  of  the  Poole  wagons  are  still  to  be 
found  in  various  parts  of  the  county  and  although  subjected  to  the 
usual  rough  usage  of  the  farm  and  highway  during  the  last  thirty- 
five  or  forty  years  are  still  in  good  condition  and  bid  fair  to  answer 
the  purposes  intended  for  many  years  longer.  The  maiden  name 
of  Mrs.  W.  H.  Poole  was  Amelia  Davidson.  Her  parents,  Har- 
din and  Asynith  Davidson,  were  natives  of  Ohio,  but  in  an  early  day 
moved  to  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  locating  at  Mount  Vernon,  where 
they  reared  a  large  family  of  fourteen  children,  the  majority  of  whom 
grew  to  maturity  and  became  well  settled  in  life.  Mrs.  Poole,  who 
is  a  native  of  Mount  Vernon,  has  borne  her  husband  five  children, 
as  follows:  Fannie  E.,  Gertrude  M.,  Edith  B.,  Dr.  Charles  J.,  of 
this  review,  and  Ida  B. 

William  Poole,  the  Doctor's  grandfather,  was  a  Tennessean 
by  birth  and  a  cooper  by  trade.  He  was  of  Irish  extraction,  and  is 
remembered  as  a  good  mechanic  and  a  man  of  great  industry  and 
energy  whose  influence  made  for  the  material  advancement  of  his 
community  and  the  moral  good  of  those  with  whom  he  came  into 
contact.     He  had  nine  sons,  all  of  whom  adopted  his  own  trade. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  461 

and  became  good  workmen  and  respected  citizens.  William  Poole 
came  to  Illinois  a  few  years  after  his  son,  W.  H.,  settled  in  Jeffer- 
son county  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days  in  Mount  Vernon, 
where  his  death  occurred  in  1890.  Several  of  the  doctor's  ances- 
tors were  noted  for  longevity,  his  great-grandmother,  Mrs.  Davis, 
having  lived  to  the  remarkable  age  of  one  hundred  and  seven  years ; 
she  had  a  sister  who  was  ninety-eight  years  old  at  the  time  of  her 
death  and  other  members  of  the  family  were  past  the  allotted  three 
score  and  ten  milestone  before  called  to  the  other  world. 

Dr.  Charles  Judson  Poole  was  born  June  27,  1874,  in  Mount 
Vernon,  Illinois,  and  received  his  preliminary  education  in  the 
schools  of  his  native  city,  graduating  from  the  high  school  in  the 
year  1893.  Having  decided  to  devote  his  life  to  the  noble  and 
humane  work  of  alleviating  the  suffering  of  his  fellow  mortals,  he 
began  the  study  of  medicine  shortly  after  finishing  his  literary  edu- 
cation, and  in  1 896  entered  the  Medical  College  at  St.  Louis,  where 
he  prosecuted  his  studies  until  completing  the  prescribed  course,  re- 
ceiving the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine,  in  the  year  1900.  Im- 
mediately following  his  graduation  he  .located  at  the  town  of  Shiller, 
where  he  remained  one  year,  at  the  expiration  of  which  time  he  chose 
the  larger  and  more  mvitmg  city  of  Mount  Vernon  in  which  to  exer- 
cise his  professional  talents.  His  subsequent  career  in  this  field  fully 
realized  his  expectations  and  won  for  him  a  conspicuous  place  among 
the  successful  physicians  and  surgeons  of  Jefferson  county.  Doctor 
Poole  is  a  close  student  of  medical  science  and  has  kept  in  touch 
with  the  latest  advancement  in  his  profession,  being  familiar  with 
the  recent  discoveries  in  medicine  and  skillful  in  applying  what  he 
considers  efficacious  to  the  treatment  of  diseases.  He  combines  many 
of  the  characteristics  of  the  ideal  family  physician,  including  the 
pleasing  personality  and  the  faculty  of  gaining  the  confidence  not 
only  of  patients  but  of  their  friends,  also,  without  which  some  of  the 
ablest  medical  men  frequently  fail  to  effect  cures. 


462  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

As  already  indicated  his  career  since  locating  in  the  city  of  his 
birth  has  been  eminently  satisfactory  and  he  now  numbers  among  his 
patients  not  a  few  of  his  erstwhile  boyhood  friends  and  companions 
and  many  others  who  had  reached  years  of  maturity  when  he  was 
but  a  lad  in  kilts  and  knickerbockers. 

Doctor  Poole  avails  himself  of  every  opportunity  to  keep 
abreast  of  the  times  in  all  matters  relating  to  his  chosen  calling  and 
to  this  end  holds  membership  with  the  Jefferson  County  Medical  So- 
ciety, Southern  Illinois  Medical  Association,  the  State  Medical  As- 
sociation and  the  American  Medical  Association,  being  familiar 
with  the  deliberations  of  these  bodies  and  a  regular  attendant  of 
those  of  a  local  character  and  a  participant  in  the  discussions  of  the 
same.  He  is  also  identified  with  several  secret  fraternal  organiza- 
tions among  which  are  the  ancient  and  honorable  orders  of  Masonry, 
Knights  of  Pythias,  Red  Men,  Woodmen,  Royal  Neighbors,  Mys- 
tic Workers,  Ben  Hur  and  the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security. 

Although  devoted  to  his  profession  the  doctor  manifests  an 
abiding  interest  in  public  and  political  matters,  and  lends  his  assist- 
ance and  influence  to  all  worthy  enterprises  for  the  good  of  his  city 
and  the  social  intellectual  and  moral  welfare  of  his  fellow  men.  He 
is  a  Republican  and  for  some  years  has  been  one  of  the  leading 
workers  of  his  party  in  Jefferson  county,  being  at  this  time  a  member 
of  the  County  Central  Committee  and  a  judicious  and  trusted  ad- 
viser in  political  councils  as  well  as  an  active  and  successful  cam- 
paigner. Aside  from  representing  his  ward  in  the  City  Council  he 
has  held  no  elective  office  nor  does  he  permit  aspiration  to  public 
position  interfere  with  his  professional  duties,  being  first  of  all  a 
physician  and  making  everything  else  subordinate  thereto. 

Doctor  Poole  was  married  August  13,  1899,  to  Miss  Grace 
Daniel,  daughter  of  H.  P.  Daniel,  of  Waltonville,  the  father  a  pio- 
neer citizen  of  that  town  and  an  ex-soldier  of  the  great  Civil  war. 
Doctor  and  Mrs.  Poole  are  highly  esteemed  in  the  social  life  of 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  463 

Mount  Vernon  and  have  many  warm  friends  both  in  the  city  and 
country.  They  are  Baptists  in  their  rehgious  behef  and  influential 
members  of  the  church  in  Mount  Vernon,  contributing  Hberally  to 
the  material  support  of  the  organization  and  taking  an  mterest  in 
furthering  its  good  work  in  the  community.  One  child  has  been 
born  to  them,  a  daughter  by  the  name  of  Maeryta  M.,  whose  date  of 
birth  fell  on  the  25th  of  April,  1900. 


LOUIS  F.  REICHEL. 


A  great  many  of  the  most  energetic,  successful  and  reliable 
business  men  of  America  are  either  foreigners  or  direct  descendants 
of  people  of  foreign  birth.  Among  the  most  prominent  of  this  class 
are  the  Germans,  who  are  so  numerous  throughout  the  land,  making 
a  splendid  contribution  to  the  thrift  and  stability  of  our  population. 

Among  the  citizens  of  Woodlawn,  Illinois,  one  of  the  most 
representative  in  character  is  the  subject  of  this  review,  Louis  F. 
Reichel,  dealer  in  implements,  farm  machinery  and  vehicles.  He 
was  born  in  Chicago,  Illinois,  on  the  14th  day  of  May,  1880,  the 
son  of  Robert  and  Amelia  (Rusch)  Reichel,  both  natives  of  Ger- 
many. These  parents  came  to  Woodlawn  in  1882  and  here  Mrs. 
Reichel  answered  the  call  of  the  death  angel  October  16,  1903. 
She  was  the  mother  of  eight  children,  of  whom  our  subject  is  the  only 
surviving  member. 

As  intimated  above,  Louis  was  but  two  years  old  when  his  par- 
ents came  to  Woodlawn,  and  it  was  here  that  he  received  his  early 
education  and  training,  and  here  he  has  spent  the  major  portion  of 
his  life.  He  was  educated  in  the  village  school  and  also  took  a 
course  at  Henney  College,  Irvington,  Illinois.  After  reaching  ma- 
turity he  decided  to  follow  a  mercantile  career,  and  accordingly  en- 
tered into  the  service  of  his  father  and  learned  the  business  through 


464  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

this  means.  He  continued  in  this  relationship  until  1903,  and  en- 
joyed a  profitable  experience,  acquiring  from  his  father  many  funda- 
mental ideas  regarding  business  methods,  and  developing  his  own 
aptitudes  and  skill  along  these  lines.  At  the  date  above  mentioned 
he  withdrew  from  the  partnership  with  his  father,  and  entered  into 
business  for  himself  and  has  continued  this  up  to  the  present  time. 
He  has  had  a  steady  and  substantial  increase  in  patronage  and  is 
doing  business  now  on  a  more  extensive  scale  than  ever  before.  He 
carries  a  varied  line  of  implements  and  vehicles,  and  does  all  kinds 
of  work  in  wood  and  iron. 

On  the  21st  of  November,  1905,  Mr.  Reichel  was  joined  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Myrtle  Scarborough,  who  was  born  in  Jefferson 
county,  and  is  a  woman  who  evinces  considerable  skill  in  the  man- 
agement of  her  domestic  affairs.  She  has  become  the  mother  of  one 
child,  Walter. 

Mr.  Reichel  has  been  a  member  of  the  village  Council  and 
takes  an  active  interest  in  all  matters  that  pertain  to  the  common  wel- 
fare. He  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
and  also  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America  and  stands  well  in 
the  esteem  of  friends  and  acquaintances. 


HON.  GEORGE  B.  WELBORN. 

One  of  the  problems  confronting  the  citizens  of  any  community 
is  that  of  securing  competent  men  to  represent  them  in  the  Legisla- 
tive halls  of  their  state  and  country.  Men  of  strong  qualifications 
are  usually  difficult  to  obtain,  for  the  reason  that  their  business  m- 
terests  are  such  as  to  require  all  of  their  time  and  attention.  Occa- 
sionally, however,  one  is  found  who  will  for  a  while  forego  the  pres- 
sure of  personal  affairs  and  will  champion  the  cause  of  his  constitu- 


GEORGE  B.   WELBORN. 


av  THt 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  465 

€nts,  even  though  it  means  a  sacrifice.  In  the  character  of  Hon. 
George  B.  Welborn  we  have  such  a  citizen,  and  a  few  facts  regard- 
ing his  biography  are  herewith  appended. 

Mr.  Welborn  was  born  at  Mount  Vernon,  Indiana,  on  the 
3d  of  September,  1854,  being  the  son  of  Dr.  E.  E.  and  Frances 
(Boswell)  Welborn.  When  George  was  three  months  old,  his 
parents  removed  to  Centralia,  Illinois,  where  for  three  years  Doctor 
Welborn  was  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine.  He  then  re- 
moved to  Mount  Vernon,  where  he  practiced  his  profession  in  con- 
nection with  the  management  of  a  drug  store,  being  engaged  thus 
for  about  twelve  years.  He  changed  his  location  at  various  times 
to  other  towns  and  ended  his  days  at  Denver,  Colorado.  1892. 
There  were  eight  children,  six  still  living,  five  in  Colorado,  in  the 
family  of  whom  our  subject  was  the  eldest. 

George  B.  received  a  common  school  education  and  later  at- 
tended the  well  known  institution  at  Irvington,  Illinois.  During  the 
years  of  his  earlier  manhood,  he  was  engaged  in  various  occupations 
and  while  living  at  Hoyleton,  Illinois,  operated  the  drug  store  in 
partnership  with  his  father,  continuing  there  for  eight  years.  In 
1 882  he  came  to  Woodlawn  and  began  business  as  a  druggist,  also. 
He  had  continued  this  up  to  the  present  time  and  is  enjoying  a 
large  patronage,  hie  carries  a  full  line  of  stock  and  has  the  confi- 
dence and  support  of  the  people  and  medical  profession. 

In  1882  he  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Woodlawn  and  has 
filled  the  office  with  the  exception  of  eight  years  up  to  the  present 
time.  Being  a  staunch  Republican,  he  has  been  called  upon  fre- 
quently to  assist  in  the  management  of  the  party's  affairs.  For  twen- 
ty-four years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  Republican  County  Cen- 
tral Committee,  and  for  two  years  was  its  chairman.  Other  offices 
of  a  local  character  have  been  filled  by  him,  such  as  that  of  School 

Director,  Township  Supervisor,  Police  Magistrate,  etc.     In  all  of 
30 


466  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

these  he  has  conscientiously  devoted  his  time  to  the  careful  and  thor- 
ough discharge  of  ail  duties  devolving  upon  him. 

On  November  5,  1908,  he  was  elected  to  the  lower  house  of 
the  State  Legislature,  and  will  no  doubt  render  creditable  service  in 
the  cause  of  fair  and  honest  legislation. 

Mr.  Welborn  was  married  at  Centralia,  Illinois,  on  New 
Year's  day,  1882,  to  Miss  Nellie  E.  Pratt,  daughter  of  Frank  and 
Teressa  (Lynch)  Pratt.  Six  children  have  graced  this  union,  viz: 
Hattie,  wife  of  Charles  R.  Slade;  Arthur  P.,  who  is  now  post- 
master at  Woodlawn;  Frank  E.,  Laura,  Nellie  and  George. 

Mr.  Welborn  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  he 
received  the  Knights  Templar  degree.  He  also  belongs  to  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America.  He  is  president  of  the  Woodlawn  Bank,  and  is  a  stock- 
holder in  the  Spingler  Mercantile  Company,  besides  having  con- 
siderable land  interests  in  the  adjoining  township. 

He  is  affable  in  disposition  and  through  his  unselfish  devotion 
to  the  interest  of  the  people  has  won  a  high  place  in  the  esteem  of 
his  many  friends  and  acquaintances.  It  is  to  such  men  of  wide  ex- 
perience and  unselfish  devotion  to  the  public  interests  that  the  citi- 
zens of  our  state  are  looking  for  the  conservation  of  our  present 
liberties. 


A.  C.  MILLSPAUGH. 

Among  the  native  sons  of  Illinois  who  have  achieved  distinc- 
tion in  prefessional  life  and  attained  to  positions  of  honor  and  trust 
in  the  service  of  the  public  is  A.  C.  Millspaugh,  the  present  Clerk  of 
the  Appellate  Court  of  the  Fourth  Appellate  District,  and  since 
1 902  a  prominent  citizen  of  Mount  Vernon.   Mr.  Millspaugh  is  de- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  467 

scended  from  good  old  Revolution  stock  and  is  deserving  of  especial 
notice  among  the  representative  men  of  his  county  and  state.  Daniel 
Millspaugh,  his  great-grandfather,  the  first  of  the  family  of  whom 
there  is  any  definite  knowledge,  was  a  native  of  New  York,  where 
his  antecedents  settled  in  colonial  times,  and  a  soldier  in  the  war  for 
Independence.  He  was  among  the  first  to  reach  the  scene  of  action 
and  fought  behind  the  breast-works  of  Bunker  Hill,  in  which  battle 
he  received  a  painful  wound  but  not  severe  enough  to  prevent  future 
service,  as  his  subsequent  career  abundantly  attests.  Among  the 
children  of  this  sturdy  patriot  was  a  son  by  the  name  of  John  Mills- 
paugh, who  was  born  in  Orange  county.  New  York,  and  by  trade 
was  a  millwright.  He  reared  a  family  and  died  many  years  ago  in 
his  native  state  where  a  number  of  his  descendants  are  also  sleeping 
the  sleep  that  knows  no  waking. 

John  Millspaugh,  Jr.,  son  of  the  aforementioned  John,  and 
father  of  the  subject,  was  also  a  native  of  Orange  county,  but  when 
young,  went  to  Kentucky,  where  in  due  time  he  married  Miss  Sarah 
Bogan,  whose  people  were  among  the  pioneer  settlers  of  that  state. 
While  still  a  young  man,  he  migrated  to  White  county,  Illinois,  and 
after  a  residence  of  a  number  of  years  in  that  and  other  parts  of 
the  state  removed  in  1876  to  Gallatin  county,  where  he  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life,  dying  in  the  month  of  October,  1 899. 

John  Millspaugh  was  a  physician  and  rose  to  high  standing 
in  the  profession  to  which  he  devoted  his  energies  and  talents  until 
his  death.  In  many  respects  he  was  a  remarkable  man  and  made 
his  presence  felt  for  good  among  his  fellows.  A  sturdy  character, 
combined  with  noble  aims  and  high  ideals  enabled  him  to  wield  a 
wide  influence  and  such  was  his  regard  for  morality  that  he  always 
endeavored  to  realize  in  his  own  personality  his  high  ideal  of  man- 
hood and  citizenship.  As  a  result  he  lived  a  pure,  upright  and  noble 
life,  never  indulged  in  any  kind  of  intoxicants  nor  touched  tobacco 


468  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

in  any  form,  never  uttered  a  profane  oath,  but  always  adhered  reli- 
giously to  the  truth  both  in  word  and  action.  By  reason  of  temper- 
ate habits  he  grew  old,  and  although  eighty-three  years  of  age  when 
called  to  the  other  world  he  never  used  glasses,  and  his  other  physi- 
cal powers  were  as  vigorous  almost  as  in  the  days  of  his  prime.  Mrs. 
Millspaugh  also  reached  a  ripe  old  age  and  departed  this  life  in 
1889.  The  family  of  this  estimable  couple  consisted  of  nine  chil- 
dren, among  whom  there  has  been  but  one  death,  although  the 
youngest  now  living  has  passed  the  half  century  mark  of  his  earthly 
sojourn.  It  is  doubtful  if  the  state  offers  another  such  example  of 
longevity  in  a  family  as  large  as  this,  or  of  as  fine  physical  develop- 
ment and  splendid  health  among  its  members,  both  the  latter  char- 
acteristics being  largely  the  result  of  temperate  living  and  high  moral 
aims  on  the  part  of  the  parents. 

J.  W.  Millspaugh,  the  oldest  of  the  family,  lives  at  Shawnee- 
town,  Illinois;  Mrs.  Margaret  E.  Joyner,  the  second  in  order  of 
birth,  resides  in  the  town  of  Equality,  Gallatin  county;  after  her  in 
regular  succession  are  Daniel,  a  farmer,  of  Gallatin  county ;  Mrs. 
Emma  Fowler,  of  the  same  county;  Robert  L.,  of  Shawneetown; 
J.  M.,  a  farmer  and  stock  raiser  who  lives  in  the  county  of  Gallatin, 
as  does  also  W.  L.  Millspaugh,  a  resident  of  Equality,  the  subject 
of  this  review  being  the  youngest  of  the  number. 

A.  C.  Millspaugh  was  born  September  26,  1858,  in  White 
county,  Illinois,  and  remained  with  his  father  until  attaining  his  ma- 
jority, assisting  with  the  labors  of  the  farm,  the  meanwhile,  during 
winter  seasons,  attending  the  public  schools.  His  last  term  of  school 
was  at  Shawneetown  after  reaching  the  age  of  twenty-one,  being 
obliged  to  pay  five  cents  per  day  tuition,  to  earn  which  he  worked 
of  mornings  and  evenings  at  any  kind  of  labor  he  could  find.  The 
schools  of  ShawTieetown  at  that  time  were  considered  among  the  best 
in  Southern  Illinois  and  animated  by  a  desire  to  add  to  his  knowl- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  469 

edge,  young  Millspaugh  diligently  studied  and  took  advantage  of 
every  opportunity  to  fit  himself  for  some  honorable  calling  and  rise 
above  the  common  place.  Later  he  worked  for  a  few  years  in  the 
Circuit  Clerk's  office  at  Shawneetown  and  while  thus  engaged  de- 
voted his  leisure  time  to  the  study  of  law  for  which  he  early  mani- 
fested a  decided  preference.  He  also  served  as  City  Clerk  of 
Shawneetown  and  after  his  admission  to  the  bar  in  1 889,  was  elected 
City  Attorney,  the  duties  of  which  office  he  discharged  in  an  able 
and  satisfactory  manner,  meanwhile  building  up  a  lucrative  law 
practice  and  forging  rapidly  to  the  front  among  the  rising  young 
members  of  his  profession  in  the  county  of  Gallatin. 

Subsequently  Mr.  Millspaugh  was  honored  by  being  elected 
Mayor  of  Shawneetown  and  after  filling  the  office  with  credit  to 
himself  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  public  resumed  the  practice  of 
law  which  he  conducted  with  success  until  January,  1 897,  when  he 
was  appointed  Chief  Clerk  of  the  Southern  Illinois  Penitentiary  at 
Chester,  which  position  he  held  by  successive  re-appointments  dur- 
ing the  six  years  ensuing.  While  serving  in  the  capacity  he  was 
elected  in  1 902  Clerk  of  the  Appellate  Court  of  the  Fourth  District, 
composed  of  thirty-four  counties  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state,  be- 
ing the  only  Republican  thus  honored  since  the  court  was  established 
in  1877,  a  period  of  thirty-four  years  previous  to  his  election. 

Resigning  his  position  with  the  Penitentiary  after  six  years  of 
faithful  service,  Mr.  Millspaugh  in  December,  1902,  entered  upon 
his  duties  as  Clerk  of  the  Court  and  the  better  to  perform,  removed 
the  same  year  to  Mount  Vernon,  where  he  has  since  resided  and 
with  the  interests  of  which  he  has  been  actively  identified.  The  po- 
litical career  of  Mr.  Millspaugh  presents  a  series  of  successes  seldom 
equaled  in  the  history  of  the  majority  of  public  officials  in  that  he 
has  been  victorious  in  every  contest  in  which  he  took  part  and  equally 
fortunate  in  the  matter  of  his  appointment,  in  which  he  was  opposed 


470  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

by  quite  a  number  of  splendidly  equipped  competitors  from  different 
parts  of  the  state.  His  election  as  City  Attorney,  City  Clerk  and 
Mayor  were  in  regular  succession,  then  his  appointment  over  sev- 
eral estimable  contestants  and  lastly  his  election  to  the  clerkship  of 
the  Appellate  Court  and  his  re-nomination  for  in  1 908  and  re-elec- 
tion to  the  same  positipn. 

Mr.  Millspaugh  on  January  14,  1894,  contracted  a  matri- 
monial alliance  with  Miss  Julia  Scanland,  of  Shawneetown,  whose 
father,  the  late  William  Scanland,  was  for  many  years  a  leading 
business  man  and  prominent  citizen  of  that  city.  The  marriage  was 
without  issue.  Mr.  Millspaugh  is  greatly  interested  in  secret  fra- 
ternal work  and  belongs  to  several  orders,  including  the  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons  in  which  he  has  taken  a  number  of  degrees  from 
the  Blue  Lodge  and  Royal  Arch  to  that  of  Sir  Knight,  holding 
membership  unto  the  former  at  Shawneetown  and  the  Chapter  and 
Commandery  at  Mount  Vernon.  He  is  also  connected  with  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  in  this  city,  the  Knights  of  Khorassan  and  Be- 
nevolent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  in  East  St.  Louis.  In  his 
personal  relation  he  is  exceedingly  popular  and  possesses  those  qual- 
ities which  win  and  retain  warm  friendships.  As  stated  in  a  pre- 
ceeding  paragraph,  his  career  has  been  one  of  continuous  advance- 
ment and  prosperity,  the  result  of  industry,  integrity  and  the  high 
sense  of  honor  which  commands  respect  and  confidence  and  never 
permits  its  possessor  stoop  to  anything  narrow  or  in  the  least  degree, 
low  or  degrading.  As  a  lawyer  he  might  have  achieved  marked  suc- 
cess had  his  attention  not  been  directed  to  other  lines  of  endeavor, 
in  the  political  arena.  His  course  has  ever  been  above  criticism  as 
v^itness  his  election  to  an  important  office  in  a  district  where  Demo- 
cratic success  has  long  been  beyond  the  suspicion  of  doubt  and  as  a 
man  and  citizen  he  is  broad  minded,  liberal  and  progressive,  a  true 
type  of  the  enterprising  self-made  American  of  today. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  471 

CLARENCE  W.  HARRISS. 

In  the  list  of  representative  citizens  of  the  city  of  Mount  Ver- 
non, the  name  of  Clarence  Harriss  deserves  consideration.  Although 
his  personal  preference  is  to  keep  himself  in  the  background,  yet  his 
quiet  demeanor  and  unassuming  ways  have  won  for  him  a  high  place 
in  the  esteem  of  friends  and  fellow  citizens. 

Mr.  Harriss  was  born  in  Perry  county,  Illinois,  December  7, 
1866.  His  father,  the  Rev.  J.  Carroll  Harriss,  is  also  a  native  of 
Perry  county,  and  is  now  living  at  DuQuoin,  Illinois.  He  has  been 
actively  at  work  in  the  ministry  for  the  last  thirty-two  years,  and  is 
a  veteran  of  the  Civil  war,  having  enlisted  in  1862  in  the  Eighty- 
first  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry  and  served  throughout  the  war.  His 
experience  in  this  historic  conflict  was  not  unlike  those  of  many  more 
of  the  boys  who  wore  the  blue  but  it  seems  that  he  was  destined 
to  suffer  to  as  full  an  extent  as  could  be  endured  without  falling  into 
the  hands  of  death  itself. 

For  eleven  months  he  endured  the  doom  of  a  prisoner  of  war, 
eight  of  which  were  spent  in  Andersonville,  an  experience  which 
needs  no  comment  to  the  modern  reader,  inasmuch  as  the  conditions 
and  management  of  that  institution  are  now  matters  of  history,  grue- 
some and  unthinkable  as  many  of  them  were.  Mr.  Harriss  par- 
ticipated in  many  of  the  hard-fought  battles  of  the  war,  such  as 
Vicksburg,  Champion  Hill,  Guntown,  Mississippi,  Red  River  cam- 
paign, etc.  At  Vicksburg  he  received  a  serious  wound  in  the  arm 
from  a  bursting  shell  and  at  two  other  times  he  received  gunshot 
wounds  that  were  not  of  a  serious  nature.  At  Guntown,  Mississippi, 
he  was  made  prisoner  and  the  time  thus  lost  has  always  been  a  mat- 
ter of  regret  to  him,  not  on  account  of  personal  suffering,  which  was 
severe,  but  because  of  being  compelled  to  remain  inactive  when  his 
greatest  desire  was  to  be  in  the  forefront  of  the  firing  line. 


472  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

Jordan  Harriss,  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  native  of 
South  CaroHna,  and  came  to  Perry  county,  Illinois,  in  1828,  fol- 
lowing farming.  He  was  born  on  May  7,  1800,  and  died  in 
March,  1874.  He  was  a  plain,  honest  citizen,  thrifty  and  indus- 
trious. 

Our  subject's  maternal  ancestors  came  to  Illinois  from  Ten- 
nessee. His  mother,  Valeria  (Thornton)  Harriss,  was  the  daugh- 
ter of  William  Thornton,  a  Baptist  minister,  who  came  to  Perry 
county,  Illinois,  early  in  the  fifties.  When  Clarence  was  two  years 
old,  his  mother  died,  leaving  two  children,  the  other  child  being  a 
daughter,  Viola,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  Aaron  King,  of  Ewing, 
■  Illinois.  In  1 870  our  subject's  father  was  married  to  Miss  Eliza 
Strait,  daughter  of  Judge  Strait,  one  of  the  pioneer  judges  of  Perry 
county.  Seven  children  were  born  to  this  union,  viz:  Walter  H.,  a 
Baptist  minister,  now  of  Blue  Island,  Illinois;  Herschell  S.,  de- 
ceased; Alva,  who  died  in  infancy;  Mrs.  Grace  H.  King,  of  Blue 
Island,  IlHnois;  Wilfred  Carroll,  deceased;  Judson  E.,  now  in  the 
law  school  of  the  State  University  of  Illinois,  Earl  B.,  clerk  in 
the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Company's  freight  office  at  DuQuoin, 
Illinois. 

Our  subject  received  his  early  education  in  the  common  schools 
of  Perry  county.  In  1882,  he  enrolled  for  the  classical  course  at 
Ewing  College  and  applied  himself  assiduously  to  his  studies,  grad- 
uating from  that  institution  in  1888.  He  was  for  four  years  prin- 
cipal of  the  DuQuoin  high  school  and  was  principal  of  the  aca- 
demic department  of  Ewing  College  in  1890-91.  In  1895  he  en- 
tered the  law  office  of  Judge  A.  D.  Webb,  with  whom  he  formed  a 
partnership,  this  relationship  continuing  up  to  the  present  time.  Mr. 
Harriss  gives  special  attention  to  abstracting  of  titles  and  clerical 
work,  and  is  especially  proficient  as  an  abstracter.  His  thorough 
methods  and  unimpeachable  integrity  have  won  for  him  a  wide  cir- 
cle of  friends  and  patrons. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO..  ILL.  473 

On  July  7,  1 898,  Mr.  Harriss  was  joined  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Grace  Herdman,  daughter  of  William  H.  Herdman,  a  pioneer  of 
Jefferson  county  who  lived  in  this  vicinity  for  over  fifty  years  be- 
fore his  death  in  1904.  Mrs.  Harriss  is  a  woman  of  refined  man- 
ners and  excellent  taste.  She  was  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools 
before  her  marriage. 

Mr.  Harriss  takes  an  active  part  in  the  general  affairs  of  the 
community.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  has, 
since  1901,  been  secretary  of  H.  W.  Hubbard  Chapter  No.  160, 
Royal  Arch  Masons.  He  belongs  to  Mount  Vernon  Lodge,  No.  3 1 , 
Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  and  to  Patton  Commandery, 
No.  69.  He  takes  a  deep  interest  in  the  political  welfare  of  the 
county,  city  and  community.  He  was  president  of  the  Mount  Ver- 
non School  Board  in  1903. 

Mr.  Harriss  is  a  member  of  the  First  Baptist  church  at  Mount 
Vernon.  He  has  for  seven  years  acted  as  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday  school  and  is  at  present  acting  as  such.  He  is  prouder  of 
this  honor  than  of  any  that  could  be  given  him.  His  home,  his  fam- 
ily and  the  Sunday  school  are  the  objects  nearest  and  dearest  to 
his  heart. 


JOHN  T.  WHITLOCK.  M.  D. 

The  Whitlocks  were  a  substantial  old  Virginia  family  that 
sent  out  its  sons  to  enrich  various  states  of  the  West  and  thus  left 
a  good  record  wherever  they  settled.  R.  R.  Whitlock,  when  a 
young  man,  left  the  Old  Dominion  to  try  his  fortunes  in  Tennessee, 
but  eventually  went  to  Kentucky  and  finally  pushed  on  to  the  prom- 
ising younger  commonwealth  of  Illinois.  He  arrived  about  1856 
and  established  a  home  in  Field  township,  Jefferson  county,  where 
he  ended  his  earthly  career  in  1874.     For  many  years  he  held  a 


474  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill, 

position  in  the  post-office  department  at  Memphis,  Tennessee,  but 
was  compelled  to  give  this  up  on  account  of  his  health.  He  served 
as  captain  of  a  company  during  the  Civil  war  and  contributed  five 
sons  to  the  service  of  his  country  during  that  great  conflict.  His  son, 
George  L.  Whitlock,  who  was  born  in  Tennessee,  spent  some  time 
in  Kentucky,  but  found  his  way  to  Illinois  in  1 854,  settling  first  in 
Marion  county  for  a  year  and  then  removed  to  Jefferson  county. 
He  finally  secured  a  farm  in  Field  township  and  in  this  place  he  has 
been  living  since  1861.  He  enlisted  in  the  Eightieth  Regiment  Illi- 
nois Cavalry  and  served  honorably  with  that  command  during  the 
Civil  war.  He  married  Margaret  F.  Patton,  a  native  of  Kentucky, 
while  he  was  a  resident  of  the  state,  and  his  bride  came  with  him  to 
the  Prairie  state,  where  their  fortunes  have  been  closely  linked  to- 
gether for  over  sixty  years.  They  have  had  ten  children,  namely: 
Robert  B.,  who  died  in  1904;  Mrs.  Eldora  J.  Frost,  of  Field  town- 
ship; John  T.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Mrs.  Doke  Lenty.  of  Far- 
rington  township;  George  E.,  a  resident  of  Mount  Vernon;  Mrs. 
Sarah  A.  Holtzclaw,  of  Shiloh  township;  William  P.,  of  Field 
township;  Mrs.  Alta  Carpenter,  of  Johnson  City,  Illinois;  Mrs. 
Maggie  Brown,  of  Field  township,  and  Jessie  B.,  also  of  Field 
township.  Most  of  these  children  lived  in  Jefferson  county  and 
nearly  all  on  farms  adjoining  that  of  their  father. 

John  T.  Whitlock  was  born  near  Dix,  Jefferson  county,  Illi- 
nois, November  15,  1860.  After  finishing  his  studies  in  the  local 
schools,  he  spent  nearly  five  years  at  Ewing  College  in  Franklin 
county.  From  there  he  went  to  Shurtleff  College  at  Upper  Alton, 
taking  the  literary  course  and  graduating  in  the  class  of  1 887.  After 
teaching  a  year  in  the  Spring  Garden  high  school,  he  began  the  study 
of  medicine,  later  entered  the  Missouri  Medical  College  at  St. 
Louis,  and  obtained  his  degree  in  1890.  He  opened  an  office  at 
Dix  and  carried  on  a  successful  practice  there  for  twelve  years. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  475 

meantime  taking  a  post-graduate  course  at  the  Chicago  PolycHnic 
College.  After  his  location  at  Mount  Vernon,  he  took  a  post-grad- 
uate course  in  the  New  York  Polyclinic  and  altogether  obtained 
a  thorough  and  up-to-date  medical  education. 

A  short  time  after  coming  to  the  county  seat  he  opened  the 
Mount  Vernon  Hospital  in  connection  with  other  physicians,  but 
these  he  subsequently  bought  out  and  was  sole  manager  for  about 
three  years  and  a  half.  Eventually  he  disposed  of  his  interests  and 
severed  his  connection  with  the  institution  and  since  then  has  devoted 
his  entire  time  to  his  large  general  practice.  Doctor  Whitlock  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Illinois  State,  Southern  Illinois  and  Jefferson  County 
Medical  Societies  and  president  of  the  last  named.  He  is  director 
of  the  Ham  National  Bank  and  owns  a  large  farm  in  Dodds  town- 
ship, besides  a  cosy  residence  and  office  at  812  Main  street.  He  has 
served  four  years  as  Coroner  and  was  elected  as  a  candidate  of  the 
Republican  party.  His  fraternal  connections  are  with  the  Knights 
of  Pythias,  Modern  Woodmen  and  Ben  Hur. 

Doctor  Whitlock  has  been  twice  married,  first  in  December, 
1 884,  to  Mary  Billingsley,  a  Kentucky  lady,  resident  for  some  years 
at  Ewing,  Illinois.  She  died  in  March,  1886,  leaving  one  son,  John 
Kelley  Whitlock,  six  days  old  at  the  time  of  his  mother's  death,  and 
now  a  farmer  in  Field  township.  In  August,  1894,  Doctor  Whit- 
lock married  Cora  Clark,  a  native  of  Jefferson  county.  He  stands 
high  both  in  his  profession  and  as  a  good,  all-round  citizen,  reliable, 
enterprising  and  public-spirited.  His  great-grandfather  was  Thom- 
as Whitlock,  who  came  to  Illinois  at  a  very  early  day,  settling 
at  Dix,  in  Jefferson  county,  where  he  kept  tavern  on  the  old  Van- 
dalia  and  St.  Louis  stage  line.  The  family  is  perhaps  the  oldest  in 
Jefferson  county,  as  it  has  been  represented  here  by  six  generations. 
The  Whitlocks  have  been  potential  factors  in  the  development  and 
growing  of  this  fine  agricultural  section. 


476  wall's  history  of  jefferson  cc,  ill. 

THOMAS  B.  WILLIAMSON,  M.  D. 

Progress  along  all  professional  lines  forms  one  of  the  prom- 
inent characteristics  of  the  age  in  which  we  live.  Startling  dis- 
coveries in  science  are  announced  to  a  wondering  world  with  amaz- 
ing frequency,  and  achievements  in  the  fields  of  industry  and  inven- 
tion are  a  constant  source  of  astonishment,  even  to  those  of  the  most 
sanguine  and  optimistic  turn  of  mind.  In  the  domain  of  medicme 
the  advance  has  kept  pace  with  modern  achievements  m  other  hnes, 
and  many  diseases  and  ailments  that  were  once  the  scourge  and 
terror  of  mankind  are  being  rapidly  brought  under  control  and  will, 
no  doubt,  become  entirely  stamped  out  of  existence.  Among  the 
promising  young  men  in  this  profession  in  Jefferson  county  is  the 
gentleman  whose  name  introduces  this  article. 

Dr.  Thomas  B.  Williamson  was  born  in  this  county  in  1884. 
and  is  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Dora  (Phillips)  Williamson,  the 
former  being  a  native  of  Kentucky  and  the  latter  of  Illinois.  Doc- 
tor Williamson's  grandfather  was  an  Englishman,  having  emigrated 
to  America,  and  settled  in  Kentucky,  where  he  engaged  in  farming 
and  stock  raising.  He  was  an  expert  judge  of  good  stock  and  was 
successful  in  raising  fine  blooded  horses,  achieving  a  reputation  which 
was  far  more  than  local  in  its  scope.  He  died  in  1871,  having  at- 
tained the  age  of  eighty-seven  years.  Three  children  were  born  to 
him,  one  of  whom,  our  subject's  father,  came  to  Illinois  in  1861. 
He  settled  in  Jefferson  county  and  devoted  himself  to  farming,  and 
departed  this  life  in  1 884.  His  companion  died  at  the  age  of  thir-» 
ty-four.     Thomas  was  the  only  child  born  to  this  union. 

Our  subject  was  educated  in  the  McLeansboro  schools,  where 
he  finished  the  high  school  course.  Following  this  he  spent  two 
years  at  Ewing  College,  and  then  decided  to  make  preparation  for 
the  practice  of  medicine.     He  accordingly  became  a  student  in  the 


wall's  history  of  JEFFEtlSON  CO..  ILL.  477 

Medical  College  of  St.  Louis,  from  which  he  graduated  in  June, 
1906.  He  spent  one  year  in  active  work  in  the  Metropolitan  Hos- 
pital of  St.  Louis,  after  which  he  came  to  Opdyke,  where  he  has 
followed  his  profession  up  to  the  present  time.  He  has  built  up  a 
good  practice,  and  has  readily  established  himself  in  the  confidence 
and  esteem  of  neighbors  and  friends.  His  skill  in  diagnosing  dis- 
eases and  thorough  knowledge  of  modern  methods  of  treatment  have 
enabled  him  to  achieve  success  in  the  face  of  many  unfavorable 
conditions. 

On  August  5,  1906,  Doctor  Williamson  was  joined  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Lillian  D.  Kern,  who  was  born  in  Franklin  county, 
this  state.  One  daughter  has  graced  this  union,  viz.,  Lucille  Fran- 
ces, born  December  13,  1907. 

Our  subject  takes  an  active  part  in  the  social  and  public  life 
of  the  community.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  the 
Royal  Neighbors,  and  the  Modern  Woodmen,  acting  as  exam- 
ining physician  for  the  last  two  orders. 

Doctor  Williamson  is  a  Republican,  and  he  maintains  a  strict 
stand  for  integrity  in  the  discharge  of  all  public  obligations.  His 
church  affiliations  are  with  the  Baptist  denomination. 


FRANK  P.  FARMER. 

One  of  the  best  known  real  estate  and  insurance  agents  in  Jef- 
ferson county  is  the  gentleman  whose  name  forms  the  subject  of  this 
article.  Mr.  Farmer  has  had  a  wide  acquaintance  and  a  varied 
experience  and  has  built  up  a  remunerative  business  which  brings  him 
constantly  in  touch  with  a  large  number  of  the  citizens  in  the  county. 

Frank  P.  Farmer  was  born  in  Washington  county,  Illinois, 


478  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

on  August  1 ,  1 852.  His  father,  James  W.  Farmer,  and  his  grand- 
father, John  Farmer,  were  natives  of  Blount  county,  Tennessee.  His 
father  came  to  Illinois  when  a  young  man  and  settled  on  a  farm  in 
Washington  county.  He  was  a  man  of  positive  convictions  and  un- 
alloyed patriotism,  having  practically  given  his  life  for  the  service 
of  his  country  during  the  Mexican  war.  He  was  wounded  at  the 
battle  of  Buena  Vista,  a  bullet  having  passed  entirely  through  his 
body.  The  wound  was  dressed  by  drawing  a  silk  handkerchief  en- 
tirely through  it.  Although  he  lived  for  twelve  years  after  the 
event  took  place,  he  never  recovered  from  the  effects  of  the  shock 
and  his  death  came  as  a  result  of  this  misfortune.  Our  subject's 
mother,  Sarah  (Waters)  Farmer,  was  also  a  native  of  Ten- 
nessee. Her  death  took  place  three  years  before  that  of  her  hus- 
band. She  was  the  mother  of  ten  children,  of  whom  Frank  P.  was 
the  youngest.  The  other  surviving  children  are  Samuel  L.,  resid- 
ing at  Elk  Prairie,  this  county;  Mrs.  Sarah  HoUenbeck  of  Cape 
Girardeau,  Missouri,  and  Mrs.  Pauline  Reed,  of  Richview,  Illinois. 

Mr.  Farmer  was  reared  on  the  parental  homestead  in  Wash- 
ington county,  Illinois,  living  at  Ashley  for  the  major  part  of  the 
time.  He  received  such  education  as  was  afforded  by  the  common 
schools  of  the  district,  but  he  has  not  let  his  education  stop  at  the 
doors  of  the  school  room,  for  he  has  made  his  elementary  schooling 
the  tool  for  the  acquirement  of  additional  training  and  equipment 
for  the  business  of  life.  After  reaching  his  majority  he  spent  sev- 
eral years  at  railroading,  and  later  turned  his  attention  to  barbering. 
He  continued  at  the  latter  occupation  for  about  twenty  years,  com- 
ing to  Jefferson  county  in  1 888.  He  opened  up  a  shop  here  in  the 
meantime  and  made  a  good  general  acquaintance  with  the  people 
of  the  city. 

Owing  to  his  firmness  and  his  decided  stand  for  civic  advance- 
ment, he  soon  became  prominent  in  the  estimation  of  the  public,  and 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  479 

in  1891,  was  made  Chief  of  Police  by  Mayor  Watson,  and  served 
for  a  period  of  two  years.  He  was  a  fearless  and  progressive  offi- 
cer, and  did  much  to  bring  about  some  needed  changes  in  the  man- 
agement of  his  department.  Owing  to  his  efforts,  the  city  police 
were  uniformed,  and  the  working  plans  of  the  force  were  propor- 
tionately improved.  His  zeal  for  the  enforcement  of  the  law  was 
highly  commendable  and  he  was  sustamed  by  the  better  element  of 
the  city.  One  experience  while  in  office  almost  cost  him  his  life. 
While  engaged  in  suppressing  a  disturbance  caused  by  a  gang  of 
toughs,  he  was  seized  and  unmercifully  beaten,  so  much  so  that  for  a 
time  his  life  hung  in  the  balance.  After  lying  in  bed  for  seven 
weeks,  he  was  finally  able  to  get  out  again,  and  ultimately  recovered 
his  health. 

After  leaving  the  work  of  the  department  Mr.  Farmer  became 
tower  man  for  the  Louisville  &  Nashville,  the  Wabash  &  Chester 
railroads,  contmumg  m  that  department  for  over  seven  years.  His 
usual  care  and  thoroughness  characterized  his  work  here,  and  during 
that  period  he  had  but  one  slight  accident. 

Following  this  he  returned  to  barbering  and  continued  at  this 
trade  for  three  and  one-half  years,  and  in  1905  began  his  present 
venture,  viz.,  that  of  handling  real  estate,  insurance  and  collections. 
He  has  built  up  an  extensive  business  and  handles  both  accident  and 
fire  insurance.  He  occupies  suites  five  and  six  in  the  Allen  build- 
ing and  a  visit  to  these  commodius  quarters  cannot  fail  to  give  one  a 
favorable  impression  of  the  business-like  atmosphere. 

In  1874  Mr.  Farmer  was  married  to  Miss  Ida  M.  Crowder, 
daughter  of  William  Crowder,  of  Jefferson  county.  Three  chil- 
dren were  born  to  this  union,  two  of  whom  survive,  the  second,  Ger- 
trude, being  deceased.  Rolla  E.  was  born  March  28,  1875.  Gus- 
sie  I.,  born  January  19,  1881,  is  the  wife  of  Murphy  Redix,  now 
living  at  Howell,  Indiana. 


480  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill, 

Rolla  E.  is  train  dispatcher  for  the  Queen  &  Crescent  Rail- 
road, and  is  located  at  Danville,  Kentucky.  Mr.  Redix  is  railroad 
conductor  on  the  Louisville  &  Nashville  Railroad,  and  has  had  sev- 
eral years  of  successful  experience  in  the  railroad  work. 

Mr.  Farmer  is  a  member  of  the  Marion  Lodge,  No.  1 3,  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  He  is  an  active  worker  in  the 
order  and  he  has  contributed  much  to  its  success  in  this  vicinity.  He 
is  also  a  prominent  worker  in  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America, 
Camp  No.  1919,  and  was  sent  as  a  delegate  by  that  lodge  to  the 
national  convention,  held  at  Peoria,  Illinois,  1908.  He  adheres  to 
the  Democratic  party  and  believes  heartily  in  making  the  party  come 
up  to  the  level  of  the  people's  expectations,  inasmuch  as  the  party 
should  be  the  expression  of  that  which  is  the  highest  and  best  in  the 
thought  of  the  public. 


ALBERT  WILSON. 


Mr.  Wilson's  name  is  associated  with  progress  in  the  county  of 
his  birth  and  among  those  in  whose  midst  he  has  always  lived  he  is 
held  in  highest  esteem  by  reason  of  an  upright  life  of  fidelity  to 
principles  and  a  kind  regard  for  his  fellow  citizens  and  by  reason  of 
his  industry  and  close  application  to  his  work  he  has  succeeded  in  a 
material  way  and  is  one  of  the  representative  citizens  of  Temple- 
ton  township. 

Albert  Wilson  was  born  in  Ohio,  but  reared  in  Jefferson  coun- 
ty, IlHnois,  the  date  of  his  birth  being  1853.  He  is  the  son  of  Hugh 
and  Clista  E.  (Hill)  Wilson.  Grandfather  Wilson  was  born  in 
Ireland,  and  came  to  America  and  settled  in  Ohio,  in  which  state 
he  lived  on  a  farm  and  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years.  Grand- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  481 

mother  Wilson  passed  away  when  about  forty  years  old.  She  and 
her  husband  were  Presbyterians,  and  to  them  eight  children  were 
born,  all  of  whom  grew  to  maturity.  A  brother  of  the  subject's 
grandfather  Wilson  died  while  in  the  Civil  war,  having  been  a  mem- 
ber of  an  Ohio  regiment.  George  Hill  was  the  subject's  maternal 
grandfather. 

Hugh  Wilson,  father  of  the  subject,  was  educated  in  Ohio, 
to  which  state  he  was  brought  from  Ireland  when  a  boy.  He  lived 
in  the  Buckeye  state  until  he  was  about  thirty  years  old,  engaged  in 
farm  work.  In  1862  he  enlisted  in  the  Union  army.  Company  E, 
Eightieth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  was  killed  in  Kentucky 
by  guerillas.  He  was  buried  in  that  state,  having  served  about  a 
year.  He  left  a  widow.  He  was  twice  married  and  the  father  of 
six  children,  two  by  our  subject's  mother  who  was  his  first  wife  and 
who  died  early  in  life.  She  was  a  Methodist,  as  was  also  her  hus- 
band. 

Albert  Wilson  was  reared  on  a  farm  and  attended  the  public 
schools  in  his  home  community  when  a  boy.  He  worked  on  the 
home  place  until  he  was  twenty-five  years  old  when  he  began  rail- 
roading, which  he  followed  successfully  for  a  period  of  ten  years. 
He  worked  in  a  car  shop  at  Mount  Vernon  for  six  years,  and  also 
worked  in  a  general  store  as  clerk  for  a  period  of  six  years.  He  has 
been  postmaster  at  Belle  Rive  for  seven  years,  and  in  whatever  capa- 
city we  find  him  he  gives  the  greatest  satisfaction  for  he  attends 
strictly  to  his  business,  whatever  he  may  have  in  hand,  and  useless 
to  say  that  success  has  attended  his  efforts. 

Mr.  Wilson  was  united  in  marriage  in  1881  to  Rose  Guthrie,  a 
native  of  Jefferson  county.  Her  people  were  from  Ohio.  Her  fa- 
ther was  a  soldier  in  Company  E,  Eightieth  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry. He  returned  home  and  died  from  a  disease  contracted  while 
in  the  service.  Two  children  were  born  to  our  subject  and  wife, 
31 


482  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

J.  Claude,  born  in  1883,  is  single  and  is  living  at  home  with  his  par- 
ents; Stella,  born  in  1888,  is  also  single  and  is  living  at  home.  J. 
Claude  Wilson  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  the  Royal 
Arch  at  Mount  Vernon  and  the  Blue  Lodge  at  Belle  Rive.  The 
subject  and  wife  and  their  daughter  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
church.     In  politics  Mr.  Wilson  is  a  Republican. 

He  likes  to  tell  of  his  father,  who  was  a  man  of  sterling  char- 
acter, and  be  relates  the  interesting  details  of  his  death.  Hugh  Wil- 
son was  an  orderly  sergeant  in  the  Federal  army,  was  captured  and 
sent  to  Libby  prison.  He  was  wounded  while  building  breastworks 
and  it  was  some  time  before  he  was  able  to  attend  to  regular  duty. 
He  was  detailed  to  carry  mail  between  the  two  armies.  A  band  of 
guerillas  captured  him,  took  him  into  the  woods  and  murdered  him. 
The  band  was  led  by  the  once  noted  Sue  Mundy,  who  was  a  resi- 
dent of  the  community  where  he  was  captured.  Most  of  the  citi- 
zens there  were  in  sympathy  with  the  Union  cause.  They  discovered 
that  a  Union  soldier  had  been  murdered,  finding  his  body  in  the  for- 
est and  on  it  a  letter  that  had  been  pierced  by  the  ball  that  had  en- 
tered the  heart  of  Mr.  Wilson.  This  letter  was  from  his  wife  at 
Mount  Vernon,  Illinois.  They  buried  the  remains  and  sent  the  sum 
of  four  dollars,  which  was  found  on  the  body,  to  Mrs.  Wilson.  They 
also  had  photographs  of  the  remains  taken.  The  subject  has  one 
of  these  pictures.  The  subject's  father  was  shot  five  times  and 
stabbed  twice,  as  is  shown  in  the  following  extract  from  the  Louis- 
ville, Kentucky,  Journal,  under  the  caption,  "Sue  Mundy  Again; 
Her  Atrocities." 

"A  correspondent  writing  from  Jeffersontown,  in  this  state, 
under  the  date  of  October  14,  furnishes  some  details  of  the  opera- 
tions of  the  outlaw  under  Captain  Berry  in  that  vicinity. 

"We  published  last  week  an  account  of  their  depredations  at 
Harrodsburg.  After  passing  Conley's  toll-gate,  the  outlaws  started 
for  their  camp,  in  Spencer  county,  twelve  miles  from  Jeffersontown. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO..  ILL.  483 

"A  number  of  the  citizens  on  the  road  were  met,  halted  and 
robbed  of  their  valuables.  Mr.  Finley  was  knocked  down  and  re- 
lieved of  his  watch  and  money.  Abraham  Fink  was  robbed  of  his 
fine  horse,  and  all  the  money  he  had  about  his  person.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Haller,  Mr.  Phillips  and  lady,  Mrs.  James  Goose,  and  others 
were  treated  in  the  same  cavalier  manner,  halted  on  the  highway  and 
robbed  of  their  purses  and  valuables.  About  eight  o'clock  in  the 
forenoon,  the  marauding  gang,  with  Berry  and  Sue  Mundy  at  its 
head  dashed  into  Jeffersontown  and  took  forcible  possession  of  the 
place. 

"A  negro  boy  belonging  to  Mount  Vernon  was  mounted  on  a 
horse,  armed  in  the  most  complete  manner  and  rode  with  the  gang. 
He  stood  guard  over  the  horses  in  Jeffersontown,  while  the  scoun- 
drels were  scattered  about  the  town  engaged  in  robbing  the  people. 
Sue  Mundy  dismounted  at  the  Davis  house  and  had  her  canteen 
filled  wath  whiskey.  The  negro  recruit  had  learned  the  duties  of 
his  vocation,  and  in  the  coolest  manner  imaginable  relieved  a  number 
of  his  Ethiopian  brothers  of  their  pocket  change.  The  outlaws  had 
captured  a  Federal  soldier  along  the  road  and  retained  him  as  their 
prisoner. 

"After  plundering  the  town  the  guerillas  mounted  their  horses 
and  departed  from  the  place,  moving  on  the  Heady  road.  They 
proceeded  to  a  dark  ravine  in  the  woods  of  Mr.  Joseph  Latherman, 
where  a  halt  was  ordered  and  subsequent  developments  proved 
that  they  murdered  their  prisoner  in  cold  blood. 

"The  discharge  of  a  firearm  was  heard  in  the  vicinity  by  sev- 
eral parties,  but  they  were  ignorant  of  the  cause.  A  short  time  after 
the  reports  were  heard,  James  Simpson  on  his  way  to  Jeffersontown 
was  met  in  the  road  by  the  outlaws  and  robbed  of  twenty-seveni 
dollars  in  money.  He  observed  that  Sue  Mundy's  pistol  was  emp- 
ty and  the  fresh  stain  showed  that  it  had  but  very  recently  been  dis- 

i 


464  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

charged.  While  Mr.  Simpson  was  being  robbed  this  she-devil  en- 
gaged in  reloading  the  revolver.  She  pointed  the  muzzle  at  the 
breast  of  Mr.  Simpson  and  smiled  with  fiendish  satisfaction  at  his 
embarrassment  as  she  capped  the  tube  of  each  barrel  of  the  cylinder. 

"After  being  released  Mr.  Simpson  road  directly  to  Jefferson- 
town  and  related  his  adventure.  He  was  informed,  that  with  the 
prisoner  in  Federal  uniform  the  party  numbered  eight  when  in  town. 
He  met  but  seven  on  the  road,  and  was  positive  that  no  prisoner 
accompanied  the  outlaws. 

"The  citizens  at  once  surmised  that  the  soldier  had  been  mur- 
dered, and  following  the  trail  of  the  guerillas,  they  approached  the 
dark  ravine,  and  found  that  their  worst  apprehensions  were  only 
too  true.  The  day  passed  and  the  moon  looked  down  from  a  cloud- 
less sky.  The  dead  body  of  the  prisoner  was  discovered.  He  was 
stretched  upon  his  back  and  rays  of  the  moon  fell  softly  upon  his 
cold,  white,  upturned  face,  bathing  it  in  a  ghostly  light  adding  a 
strange,  fearful  power  to  the  ashen  hue  of  death.  His  body  was 
marked  with  five  pistol  shot  wounds  and  two  deep  stabs,  as  if  made 
by  the  keen  edge  of  a  dagger.  All  circumstances  go  to  prove  that 
the  murder  was  committed  by  one  hand  and  that  hand.  Sue  Mun- 
dy's,  the  outlaw  woman,  and  the  wild  daring  leader  of  the  band. 
By  a  record  in  a  small  memorandum  book  found  upon  the  dead 
body  it  was  learned  that  the  name  of  the  murdered  man  was  Hugh 
Wilson.  Upon  his  person  was  also  found  a  letter  dated  Mount 
Vernon,  Illinois,  and  presumed  to  be  from  his  wife  as  it  commenced 
with,  "My  dear  husband."  She  wrote  in  an  affectionate  manner 
and  spoke  with  loving  fondness  of  their  pleasant  home,  and  little 
darling  ones  who  "sent  their  love  to  Pa."  This  letter,  from  the 
home  of  his  love,  and  written  with  so  much  tenderness,  was  found  in 
his  bosom,  pierced  by  balls  and  stained  with  the  crimson  blood  that 
gushed  in  warm  life-torrents  from  his  heart.    A  new  mound  has  been 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  485 

heaped  in  the  little  graveyard  at  Jeffersontown,  and  there  the  mur- 
dered soldier  sleeps.  After  the  perpetration  of  this  cold  blooded, 
fienish  outrage  the  outlaws  rode  directly  for  their  camp.  They  were 
pursued  a  short  distance  by  a  party  of  mounted  citizens  from  Jeffer- 
sontown, but  without  effect.  Sue  Mundy,  the  tigress,  seems  to  be 
wholly  abandoned;  lost  to  every  kind,  womanly  feeling  and  exult- 
ing in  scenes  of  blood,  leads  her  desperate  followers  on  to  the  per- 
petration of  the  most  damnable  outrages.  Her  many  atrocities  will 
be  remembered  and  we  trust  will  be  the  means  of  bringing  her  to  the 
gallows." 


WILLIAM  L.  OWEN. 

Among  the  substantial  business  men  of  Mount  Vernon,  we 
here  make  mention  of  William  L.  Owen,  well  known  throughout 
the  country  as  a  dealer  in  high-grade  monuments.  Mr.  Owen  was 
born  at  Fairfield,  Illinois,  on  the  30th  day  of  May,  1 866.  His  fa- 
ther, William  M.  Owen,  was  a  native  of  Cave  City,  Barren  county. 
Kentucky,  and  came  to  Illinois  with  his  parents  when  about  ten 
years  old,  settling  near  Fairfield,  in  Wayne  county.  He  followed 
farming  and  became  a  local  preacher  in  the  Methodist  church,  and 
held  several  township  offices.  His  death  occurred  near  Fairfield, 
on  December  22,  1902.  James  Owen,  grandfather  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  also  a  native  of  Kentucky.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of 
Wayne  county,  and  passed  to  his  reward  near  Fairfield  in  1869. 
Our  subject's  mother,  Nancy  C.  Owen,  this  being  her  name  be- 
fore marriage  also,  was  the  daughter  of  Epaphroditus  Owen,  who 
was  also  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Wayne  county.  His  home  was  the 
third  house  built  in  Fairfield.  Mrs.  Owen  was  bom  in  1 832  on  the 
farm  where  she  still  lives.     She  was  the  mother  of  six  children,  all 


486  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

but  one  of  whom  are  still  living,  only  one  death  having  occurred  in 
the  family  within  fifty-two  years.  The  children  are,  Mrs.  Abigail 
Schell,  of  Fairfield,  Illinois;  Edwin  M.,  deceased;  Mrs.  Lonetta  V. 
Nicholas,  of  Fairfield;  William  L.,  Charlie  F.,  and  May,  the  last 
named  being  still  home  with  her  mother. 

Our  subject  spent  his  early  life  in  Fairfield,  receiving  his  com- 
mon school  education  there.  Later  he  spent  a  year  at  the  Normal 
School  at  Danville,  Indiana,  and  then  turned  his  attention  to  the 
learning  of  his  trade,  of  marble  cutting.  He  began  his  apprentice- 
ship with  John  D.  Reinhard,  of  Fairfield,  and  served  in  that  capa- 
city for  three  years.  He  then  entered  the  employment  of  G.  G. 
Smith,  of  Mount  Vernon,  and  remained  with  him  for  one  year,  after 
which  he  joined  the  Litchfield  Marble  &  Granite  Company,  of 
Litchfield,  Illinois.  Here  he  continued  for  two  years,  and  then 
went  to  work  for  W.  M.  Morris  at  Charlestown,  Missouri,  remain- 
ing there  for  one  year.  In  1 894  he  returned  to  Mount  Vernon,  and 
was  again  employed  by  G.  G.  Smith.  In  March,  1 896,  he  removed 
to  Tipton,  Missouri,  and  went  into  business  for  himself,  continuing 
there  for  one  year,  after  which  he  removed  to  Montgomery  City, 
Missouri,  remaining  there  until  1901 .  He  then  came  back  to  Mount 
Vernon  and  bought  out  the  firm  of  Johnson  &  Browder,  and  since 
that  time  has  built  up  quite  a  lucrative  business.  He  handles  high 
grade  material  and  does  first  class  work,  having  the  most  modern 
equipment  known  to  the  trade. 

On  April  20,  1892,  he  was  joined  in  marriage  to  Fannie  A. 
(Burns)  Carter,  of  Mount  Vernon,  daughter  of  Jacob  Burns,  a 
native  of  Pennsylvania.  She  has  become  the  mother  of  two  chil- 
dren, both  of  whom  are  deceased. 

Mr.  Owen  belongs  to  Mount  Vernon  Lodge,  No.  3 1 ,  Ancient 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  and  the  H.  N.  Hubbard  Chapter, 
No.  1 60.     He  is  a  member  of  the  Eagles  and  the  Modern  Wood- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  487 

men.  He  affiliates  with  the  Republican  party  and  identifies  himself 
with  the  progressive  element  of  the  community.  His  genuine  hon- 
esty and  unpretentious  demeanor  have  won  him  many  friends  and 
he  holds  a  commendable  place  in  the  esteem  of  the  business  men  of 
the  city. 


JOHN  L.  HUTCHISON. 

Although  not  enlivened  with  much  of  incident  or  adventure, 
the  life  of  Mr.  Hutchison  has  been  given  up  to  the  faithful  discharge 
of  the  duties  that  make  up  the  prose  and  poetry  of  everyday  life. 
His  career  has  been  that  of  an  excellent  citizen  and  a  most  estimable 
man  and  is  typical  of  all  that  is  embodied  in  the  general  run  of  an 
American  experience.  His  life  is  an  illustration  of  that  sturdy  citi- 
zenship and  determined  manhood  that  have  made  this  country  great 
at  home  and  respected  abroad,  and  given  our  record  to  history  as 
an  impressive  example  of  rapid  development,  unhalting  progress, 
and  all  conquering  ingenuity  and  power.  Our  land  is  one  of 
boundless  opportunities  and  the  men  who  have  the  capacity  to  see 
and  use  this  opportunity  never  fail  to  make  headway.  Mr.  Hutch- 
ison has  made  practically  his  own  way  in  the  world  and  is  entitled 
to  the  full  satisfaction  of  his  triumph  over  circumstances. 

John  L.  Hutchison  was  born  near  Mount  Vernon,  Jefferson 
county,  Illinois,  on  March  20,  1854,  the  son  of  Johnson  and  Mary 
E.  (Parker)  Hutchison,  the  former  being  a  native  of  Tennessee, 
and  the  latter  of  Kentucky.  William  Hutchison,  the  grandfather 
of  our  subject,  came  to  Tennessee  from  Virginia  and  later  in  1 849 
removed  with  his  family  to  Illinois,  settling  on  a  farm  near  Mount 
Vernon,  where  he  departed  this  life  in  1864.  Several  years  ago 
Johnson  Hutchison  retired  from  active  work  in  the  management  of 


488  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

the  farm  and  took  up  his  residence  in  Mount  Vernon,  where  he 
ended  his  days,  November  16,  1901 .  His  companion  in  Hfe  passed 
to  her  reward  in  about  1875.  Nine  children  were  born  into  this 
family,  of  whom  John  L.,  our  subject,  was  the  oldest.  The  others 
were:  Mrs.  Wincy  Jane  Atkinson,  of  Cottonwood  Falls,  Kansas; 
Mrs.  Mary  Emer  Burk,  deceased;  Walter  Rollo,  of  Dexter,  Mis- 
souri; Mrs.  Laura  T.  Frost,  of  Mount  Vernon;  William  H.,  of 
Mount  Vernon;  Mrs.  Almeda  Hicks,  of  Howell,  Indiana;  Mrs. 
Rosa  Boswell,  deceased,  and  Samuel  M.,  of  Mount  Vernon. 

Our  subject  lived  on  the  farm  until  he  was  twenty-three  years 
old.  He  received  a  common  school  education,  and  this  with  the 
wholesome  lessons  of  self  reliance  and  personal  responsibility  that 
come  to  the  boy  on  the  farm,  the  elements  that  entered  into  his  equip- 
ment for  the  days  that  lay  before  him.  Upon  leaving  the  farm  he 
came  to  Mount  Vernon  and  went  into  the  grocery  business.  This 
was  in  September,  1877.  He  began  at  the  location  that  he  now 
occupies,  and  has  been  here  continuously  since  that  time  making 
thirty-one  years  of  uninterrupted  activity.  This  is  certainly  a  com- 
pliment to  his  business  ability  and  integrity  which  have  never  lacked 
for  an  abundant  patronage,  and  his  store  at  221  East  Main  street 
is  one  of  the  best  known  establishments  in  the  city,  having  been  so 
long  associated  with  the  growing  interest  of  the  community. 

Although  he  has  devoted  the  major  part  of  his  time  to  his  busi- 
ness Mr.  Hutchison  has  also  kept  in  touch  with  life  on  the  soil  and 
now  devotes  considerable  attention  to  the  management  of  his  farm 
which  is  located  about  one  mile  east  of  Mount  Vernon.  This  farm 
shows  the  result  of  careful  management  and  intelligent  supervision, 
for  Mr.  Hutchison  has  kept  fully  abreast  of  the  times  on  questions 
relating  to  agriculture,  grazing,  etc.,  and  this  work  affords  him  con- 
siderable pleasure  as  well  as  profit.  His  farm  is  well  equipped  with 
the  necessary  buildings  and  the  other  improvements  that  go  to  make 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  489 

up  a  complete  homestead,  and  the  general  appearance  of  the  place 
indicates  both  thrift  and  excellent  taste. 

Mr.  Hutchison's  domestic  life  began  on  February  14,  1877. 
when  he  was  joined  in  marriage  to  Matilda  D.  Libengood,  daughter 
of  John  Libengood,  St.,  this  family  being  natives  of  Ohio.  Seven 
children  have  been  born  to  this  union,  six  of  whom  survive.  They 
are  George,  of  Mount  Vernon,  a  bridge  carpenter  for  the  Chicago 
&  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad;  Elmer  died  at  the  age  of  twelve 
months;  Mrs.  Essa  May  Hannon,  of  Mount  Vernon;  Mrs.  Jessie 
McFatridge,  of  New  Baden,  Illinois;  and  Eugene,  John  and 
Homer,  all  at  home. 

Mr.  Hutchison  belongs  to  Marion  Lodge,  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows,  and  is  one  of  the  senior  members  of  the  order.  He 
is  in  thorough  accord  with  its  teachings  and  is  a  worthy  exponent  of 
the  principles  for  which  this  noble  organization  stands. 


WILLIS  D.  MAYNOR. 

One  of  the  most  substantial  and  best  known  citizens  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  Woodlawn,  Illinois,  is  the  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this 
biography.  Willis  D.  Maynor  was  bom  at  Mount  Vernon,  Illinois, 
on  October  31,  1861.  His  father,  Stephen  H.  Maynor,  came  to 
Illinois  from  Tennessee  and  ended  his  days  in  Farrington  township, 
this  county,  on  August  19,  1894,  having  attained  the  age  of  fifty- 
six  years.  Our  subject's  mother,  Ellen  (Ward)  Maynor.  was  a 
native  of  Wilson  county,  Tennessee.  She  was  born  February  19, 
1843,  and  still  survives.  She  became  the  mother  of  twelve  children, 
of  whom  Willis  was  the  eldest. 

The  first  twelve  years  of  his  life  Mr.  Maynor  spent  in  Mount 


490  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co..  ill. 

Vernon,  after  which  his  father  removed  to  Pendleton  township, 
and  here  our  subject  grew  to  manhood. 

Although  he  received  but  a  common  school  education,  the  farm 
was  his  training  school  and  here  he  acquired  the  traits  of  nigged 
honesty  and  sterling  integrity  that  have  marked  him  in  his  later  years. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  left  the  farm  and  began  to  famil- 
iarize himself  with  the  milling  business  with  a  view  of  taking  it  up 
as  a  permanent  work.  He  began  at  Spring  Garden,  Illinois,  and 
remained  there  as  an  apprentice  for  three  years,  after  which  he 
opened  up  a  mill  for  himself  at  Woodlawn,  Illinois,  continuing  here 
for  six  years.  He  was  a  successful  miller  and  enjoyed  a  good  trade, 
being  popular  among  the  people.  His  courteous  manner  and  fair 
dealing  won  for  him  many  warm  friends,  but  on  account  of  ill 
health  he  was  compelled  to  abandon  the  work. 

He  accordingly  disposed  of  his  milling  interests  in  July,  1 898, 
and  entered  the  mercantile  field  in  Woodlawn,  and  has  continued 
therein  up  to  the  present  time.  In  this  he  has  met  with  his  usual  suc- 
cess, as  his  business  methods  emd  sound  sense  have  enabled  him  to 
obtain  and  hold  a  commendable  patronage.  He  carries  a  general 
stock  of  merchandise,  sufficient  in  variety  and  quality  to  supply  all 
demands  and  is  satisfied  with  moderate  prices. 

On  November  19,  1887,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Ida  M. 
Scarborough,  who  was  born  at  Spring  Garden,  Illinois,  on  July 
22,  1870.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Dr.  J.  B.  and  Ada  F.  Scar- 
borough, well  known  residents  of  that  locality.  They  removed  to 
Woodlawn  in  1896,  and  here  Doctor  Scarborough  passed  to  his 
reward  on  September  3,  1908,  having  attained  the  age  of  sixty-six 
years. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Maynor  are  the  parents  of  one  son,  Guy  B., 
who  was  born  October  1  I,  1889.  Mr.  Maynor  was  for  three  years 
Collector  of  Shiloh  township,  but  has  made  no  effort  to  obtain  po- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  491 

litical  appointment.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows  and  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  He  has 
farming  interest  in  Shiloh  township  and  takes  an  active  interest  in 
all  affairs  pertaining  to  the  highest  interest  of  the  c6mmunity  at  large. 


ELBERT  M.  WALKER. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  springs  from  sturdy  New  England 
ancestry  and  combines  many  of  the  characteristics  for  which  his 
family  has  long  been  noted.  An  enterprising  man  and  representa- 
tive citizen  he  has  been  very  closely  identified  with  the  material  in- 
terests of  Mount  Vernon  for  a  number  of  years  and  to  him  and 
such  as  he  is  the  city  indebted  for  its  recent  remarkable  advance- 
ment in  lines  of  activity  and  for  much  of  the  prosperity  which  it  now 
enjoys,  Elbert  M.  Walker  is  a  native  of  Meigs  county,  Ohio,  where 
his  birth  occurred  in  the  year  1843.  Milton  Walker,  his  father,  was 
a  Vermonter  but  left  that  state  in  an  early  day,  migrating  to  Meigs 
County,  Ohio,  where  he  followed  the  trade  of  wagon  making  until 
1854,  when  he  changed  his  residence  to  Wayne  county,  where  he 
departed  this  life  four  years  later.  Harriet  A.  Newell,  wife  of  Mil- 
ton Walker,  and  mother  of  the  subject,  was  born  in  Lancaster, 
Ohio,  and  died  in  Illinois,  in  the  month  of  October,  1902,  at  the 
advanced  age  of  eighty-seven  years.  Of  the  eight  children  born  to 
this  excellent  couple  only  two  are  living,  Edmond  A.,  of  Wayne 
county,  and  Elbert  M.,  of  this  review,  the  former,  the  third,  and  the 
latter  the  fourth  in  order  of  birth ;  the  following  are  the  names  of  the 
deceased  members  of  the  family :  Denesa  Vilanda,  Arius  Milton, 
Permelia  Alvina,  Lurinda  A.,  Clinton  Heath  and  Emory  Newell. 

Elbert  M.  Walker  spent  his  childhood  in  his  native  state  and 


492  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

at  the  age  of  eleven  years  was  brought  to  Illinois  by  his  parents  and 
during  the  ensuing  twenty-two  years  made  his  home  in  Wayne  coun- 
ty, receiving  a  common  school  education  the  meanwhile  and  after  at- 
taining his  majority  devoting  his  attention  to  various  kinds  of  honor- 
able employment.  In  1 876  he  came  to  Jefferson  county  and  engaged 
in  the  livery  business  at  Mount  Vernon,  which  he  conducted  with 
gratifying  success  for  a  period  of  twenty-six  years,  during  which  time 
he  also  became  interested  in  the  material  prosperity  of  the  city  and 
gave  his  influence  and  support  to  all  laudable  enterprises  for  the  gen- 
eral welfare  of  his  fellow  men.  In  the  meantime  he  embarked  in  the 
lumber  business  and  disposing  of  his  livery  barn  at  the  expiration  of 
the  period  indicated  he  has  since  devoted  the  greater  part  of  his  at- 
tention to  this  interest,  being  at  the  present  time  one  of  the  largest 
and  most  successful  lumber  dealers  in  the  city  as  well  as  one  of  the 
oldest,  as  the  twenty-seven  consecutive  years  given  to  the  business 
would  indicate.  He  first  began  the  lumber  business  in  partnership 
with  Mr.  Van  Wilbanks  since  whose  death,  some  years  later,  he 
had  conducted  the  enterprise  jointly  with  that  gentleman's  widow, 
who  still  retains  an  interest  in  the  Mount  Vernon  lumber  yard,  the 
management,  however,  left  entirely  to  the  judgment,  discretion  and 
superior  ability  of  the  subject.  In  connection  with  the  lumber  trade 
he  has  large  agricultural  interests,  owning  a  fine  and  well  improved 
farm  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  one  and  a  half  miles  north 
of  Mount  Vernon,  which  he  personally  manages  and  which  by  rea- 
son of  close  proximity  to  the  city  is  constantly  increasing  in  value. 
During  the  last  twenty-five  years  he  has  also  been  quite  extensively 
engaged  in  buying  and  shipping  horses  and  mules,  being  associated 
with  S.  A.  Patterson,  of  Mount  Vernon,  with  whom  he  purchases 
on  a  large  scale  for  the  New  Orleans  market. 

In  his  business  affairs  Mr.  Walker  is  eminently  energetic  and 
enterprising  and  for  a  number  of  years  has  ranked  among  the  most 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  493 

progressive  and  successful  business  men  in  his  adopted  city.  From  a 
comparatively  modest  beginning  he  has  steadily  advanced  to  his 
present  influential  position  in  commercial  circles  and  being  essentially 
the  architect  of  his  own  fortune  he  has  won  and  worthily  bears  the 
honorable  American  title  of  a  "self-made  man."  While  ever  labor- 
ing to  promote  his  own  interests  at  the  same  time  he  has  put  forth 
all  reasonable  efforts  within  his  power  in  behalf  of  the  common  good, 
being  as  already  indicated  deeply  interested  in  the  material  progress 
of  the  community,  and  a  friend  to  all  measures  calculated  to  inspire 
a  wholesome  respect  for  law  and  order  and  build  up  society  along 
moral  lines.  In  addition  to  his  career  as  a  wide-awake  public-spirited 
business  man,  Mr.  Walker  has  a  military  record  of  which  he  feels 
justly  proud,  being  among  the  survivors  of  the  gallant  army  which 
crushed  the  hosts  of  treason  during  the  days  of  the  Rebellon  and 
restored  the  government  to  the  condition  in  which  the  fathers  found 
it.  He  enlisted  in  December,  ►Sbl,  in  Company  G,  Sixty-second 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  with  which  he  shared  the  fortunes  and 
vicissitudes  of  war  for  two  years,  durmg  which  time  he  saw  much 
active  duty  and  on  one  occasion  at  the  battle  of  Holly  Springs,  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  enemy  and  experienced  in  full  measure  what  it 
meant  to  be  confined  in  a  rebel  prison  pen. 

Mr.  Walker  was  married  in  1866  to  Miss  Sarah  M.  Smith, 
whose  antecedents  were  among  the  old  and  well  known  families  of 
Meigs  county,  Ohio,  where  she  too  was  born.  Four  children  re- 
sulted from  this  union,  all  deceased  except  a  son  by  the  name  of 
Fred  E.,  who  is  now  a  prosperous  merchant  of  Mount  Vernon  and 
one  of  the  city's  most  intelligent  and  enterprising  men  of  affairs.  In 
his  political  views  Mr.  Walker  is  a  pronounced  Republican  and  an 
influential  party  worker,  but  has  never  been  a  partisan  nor  a  seeker 
of  office.  Fraternally  he  holds  membership  with  the  Knights  of 
Honor  and  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  in  both  organizations 


494  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

having  held  important  official  positions  from  time  to  time  and  taken 
an  active  and  influential  part  in  their  deliberations. 


JAMES  A.  ALLEN. 


This  highly  honored  veteran  of  the  great  American  Rebellion 
and  retired  farmer  is  a  familiar  figure  about  Belle  Rive  being  the 
worthy  representative  of  one  of  the  pioneer  families  of  Jefferson 
county.  Finding  in  his  native  county  wide  fields  in  which  to  give 
full  scope  to  his  industry  and  enterprise — his  dominant  qualities — 
he  preferred  to  remain  here  rather  than  seek  uncertain  fortune  in 
other  states,  with  the  result  that  he  is  comfortably  situated  in  his  old 
age  and  has  nothing  to  regret  regarding  the  past. 

James  A.  Allen  was  born  in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  February 
22,  1839,  his  birthday  occurring  on  that  of  the  great  Washington, 
whom  the  subject  reverences.  He  is  the  son  of  Rhodam  and  Lu- 
cinda  (Atwood)  Allen.  Grandfather  Allen  was  born  in  Virginia, 
but  moved  to  Illinois,  where  he  died  at  an  advanced  age  and  Grand- 
mother (nee  Wilkinson)  Allen  also  lived  to  a  very  old  age.  They 
were  the  parents  of  five  children,  and  in  their  religious  life  supported 
the  Methodist  church.  Grandfather  Atwood,  who  was  born  in 
West  Virginia,  moved  to  Kentucky,  thence  to  Illinois,  where  he  died 
when  about  sixty  years  of  age.  His  wife  died  when  sixty-five  years 
old.  The  subject's  father,  who  was  reared  in  Virginia,  moved  to 
Kentucky,  later  to  Mississippi  and  finally  to  Illinois  in  about  1818.  > 
He  took  up  land  in  Jefferson  county,  devoting  his  life  to  farming  and 
to  the  ministry  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  He  died  at  the 
age  of  sixty-six  years  and  his  wife  when  seventy-one  years  old.  She, 
too,  was  always  a  Methodist. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  495 

Our  subject  received  his  education  in  the  old  time  log  cabin 
schools,  which  he  attended  a  few  months  each  winter. 

Mr.  Allen  worked  on  his  father's  farm  until  August  6,  1861, 
when,  feeling  that  it  was  his  duty  to  offer  his  services  in  behalf  of 
his  country,  he  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Forty-fourth  Illinois  Infan- 
try. His  first  battle  was  at  Pea  Ridge,  Arkansas;  then  he  fought 
at  Perryville,  Kentucky,  and  at  the  great  battle  of  Stone  River, 
where  he  lost  the  hearing  of  one  ear  by  concussion.  He  was 
wounded  at  Perryville.  He  then  fought  in  the  sanguinary  conflict 
at  Chickamauga,  where  he  received  a  wound  from  which  he  has 
never  recovered,  having  lost  use  of  his  right  arm.  He  served  in  a 
most  faithful  and  praiseworthy  manner  for  a  period  of  three  years 
and  three  months.  He  was  taken  prisoner  and  was  confined  in  the 
prison  at  Andersonville  and  also  at  Libby  prison,  the  latter  for  sixty- 
seven  days.  Mr.  Allen  is  now  receiving  twenty-four  dollars  per 
month  pension  on  account  of  his  wounds. 

Our  subject  has  devoted  his  life  to  farming,  which  he  has  made 
a  success,  having  been  actively  engaged  up  to  1 890  when  he  retired 
and  bought  property  at  Belle  Rive,  Jefferson  county,  where  he  has 
since  lived. 

Mr.  Allen  was  united  in  marriage  first  in  1866  to  Elizabeth 
Taylor,  a  native  of  Tennessee.  Four  children  were  born  to  this 
union,  only  one  of  whom  is  now  living,  named  Norman  C,  who  is 
married  and  has  five  children.  The  subject's  first  wife  died  m  1 873 
and  he  again  married  in  1875,  his  second  wife  being  Mary  Sursa, 
who  was  born  in  this  township  (Pendleton).  Her  father  was  a 
native  of  Jefferson  county  and  her  mother  of  Ohio.  Mrs.  Allen's 
father  was  a  soldier  in  the  Union  army,  a  member  of  Company  E, 
Eightieth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  he  died  in  the  service,  be- 
ing buried  at  Chattanooga,  Tennessee. 

Three  children  were  born  to  the  subject  and  his  second  wife. 


496  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

namely :  Inez,  the  wife  of  H.  B.  McMiken ;  Fleta,  the  second  child, 
is  the  wife  of  Christopher  Henelbach,  and  the  mother  of  one  child ; 
Mattie,  the  third  child,  is  the  wife  of  Alba  Marlow,  and  the  mother 
of  one  child.  Fannie,  the  subject's  daughter  by  his  first  wife,  mar- 
ried Jerry  Burns,  and  to  her  six  children  were  born.  She  died  April 
15.  1907. 

Mr.  Allen  in  his  fraternal  relations  is  a  member  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  He  also  belongs  to  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic,  each  of  the  above  organizations  to  which  he 
belongs  being  at  Belle  Rive.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Allen  are  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  The  former  is  a  loyal  Republican. 
Grandfather  Allen  was  an  original  Abolitionist  and  he  was  Con- 
stable for  one  term.  Our  subject  in  many  ways  inherits  the  worthy 
traits  of  his  grandfather,  and  he  is  held  in  high  favor  among  the 
people  of  his  town  and  township. 


JOHN  L.  RAINEY. 

Holding  worthy  prestige  among  the  leading  business  men  of 
Mount  Vernon  and  enjoying  the  confidence  of  his  fellow  citizens, 
irrespective  of  party  or  class,  the  gentleman  of  whom  the  biographer 
writes  in  this  connection  has  nobly  earned  the  high  position  in  the 
commercial  world  to  which  he  has  attained  and  is  worthy  of  specific 
mention  among  the  representative  citizens  of  the  city  and  county  in 
which  he  resides. 

John  L.  Rainey  was  born  August  23,  1 868,  in  Williamson 
county,  Illinois,  and  is  the  fourth  in  order  of  birth  of  nine  children 
of  J.  T.  and  Margaret  Rainey,  natives  of  West  Virginia  and  Illi- 
nois respectively.  Buckner  Rainey,  the  subject's  grandfather,  was 
a  native  of  West  Virginia,  where  he  lived  a  number  of  years  and 


walk's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  497 

reared  a  family  but  later  moved  to  Illinois  and  is  remembered  as  one 
of  the  pioneer  school  teachers  of  Williamson  county.  Returning  to 
the  state  of  his  nativity  some  time  in  the  seventies  he  departed  this 
life  near  the  scene  of  his  birth  prior  to  the  year  1 880. 

J.  T.  Rainey,  father  of  the  subject,  came  to  Illinois  in  1859, 
and  settled  in  Williamson  county  vs^here  he  still  resides,  a  prosperous 
farmer  and  stock  raiser  and  one  of  the  substantial  and  enterprising 
citizens  of  his  community.  His  wife  is  a  native  of  Williamson  coun- 
ty and  prior  to  her  marriage  bore  the  name  of  Margaret  Perry.  Her 
parents  were  born  in  Robertson  county,  Tennessee,  but  a  number  of 
years  ago  settled  in  Illlinois  and  spent  the  remainder  of  their  days 
in  Williamson  county. 

To  J.  T.  and  Margaret  Rainey  nine  children  were  born,  of 
whom  the  following  survive,  namely:  James  L.,  of  Murphysboro, 
Illinois;  E.  T.,  who  lives  in  Thompsonville,  this  state;  Mrs.  Laura 
Martin,  of  Marion;  John  L.,  of  this  review;  Mrs.  Sarah  E.,  Otey, 
Mrs.  Joella  Howell,  and  Charles  Rainey,  the  last  three  residents  of 
Marion,  Illinois. 

John  L.  Rainey  was  reared  to  maturity  in  his  native  county  and 
spent  his  early  life  on  his  father's  farm  where  he  learned  the  les- 
sons of  industry,  economy  and  consecutive  effort  which  resulted 
greatly  to  his  advantage  when  he  left  the  parental  roof  to  make  his 
own  way  in  the  world.  Dunng  his  minority  he  attended  the  district 
schools  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-three  severed  home  ties  to  carve  out 
his  own  fortune,  taking  up,  in  1 892,  the  study  of  telegraphy  in  which 
he  soon  acquired  great  proficiency.  After  becoming  a  skillful  ma- 
nipulator of  the  keys  he  accepted  a  position  with  the  Wabash,  Chi- 
cago &  Western  Railroad  Company  as  agent  and  operator  at  Shel- 
ler,  Illinois,  where  he  continued  two  years,  at  the  expiration  of  which 
period  he  took  charge  of  the  office  at  Welga  on  the  Wabash  Rail- 
road, in  connection  with  which  he  acted  as  agent  for  the  American 
32 


498  wall's  HISTORY  OF  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL. 

Express  Company  and  also  took  service  with  the  H.  C.  Coal  Mill 
Company,  being  thus  jointly  employed  for  eleven  consecutive  years, 
and  that  too  without  a  single  day's  absence  from  duty. 

Resigning  his  position  at  Welga  at  the  expiration  of  the  time 
indicated,  Mr.  Rainey  became  manager  of  the  large  mercantile  busi- 
ness of  W.  S.  Matthews  at  the  town  of  Matthews,  this  state.  While 
thus  engaged  he  also  looked  after  that  gentleman's  extensive  timber 
and  lumber  interests,  remaining  in  his  service  one  year  and  dis- 
charging the  arduous  and  responsible  duties  developing  upon  him 
with  credit  to  himself  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  his  employer.  Sever- 
ing his  connection  with  the  above  enterprise  Mr.  Rainey  in  January, 
1907,  came  to  Mount  Vernon  and  purchased  a  half  interest  in  the 
Zimmerman  &  Son  flour,  feed,  coal  and  seed  business,  subsequently 
in  July  of  the  same  year  buying  out  his  partners  and  becoming  sole 
proprietor  of  the  establishment.  Since  taking  possession  of  the  busi- 
ness he  has  added  greatly  to  its  volume  until  it  is  now  by  far  the  larg- 
est and  most  important  of  the  kind  in  the  city  and  one  of  the  most 
extensive  and  successful  in  this  part  of  the  state. 

Mr.  Rainey  is  enterprising  and  progressive  in  all  that  the  term 
implies  and  in  the  building  up  and  extending  the  large  and  important 
establishment  of  which  he  is  the  head,  has  displayed  business  and 
executive  capacity  of  a  high  order.  He  keeps  in  close  touch  with  the 
trade  and  by  courteous  and  honorable  treatment  has  steadily  added 
to  his  list  of  customers  and  now  commands  a  business  second  in 
magnitude  to  no  other  of  the  kind  in  Southern  Illinois  and  a  credit 
to  his  ability  and  energy  and  an  honor  to  the  city.  From  the  begin- 
ning his  career  presents  a  series  of  continued  successes  seldom 
achieved  and  possessing  to  a  marked  degree  the  power  to  bend  cir- 
cumstances to  suit  his  purposes  he  is  projecting  his  business  on  still 
larger  lines  with  every  prospect  of  ultimately  attaining  the  ends 
which  he  has  in  view. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  499 

Mr.  Rainey's  domestic  history  dates  from  1 894.  on  September 
1 3th,  of  which  year  at  the  town  of  Sheller  was  solemnized  his  mar- 
riage with  Lizzie,  youngest  daughter  of  George  Sheller,  in  honor  of 
whom  the  village  as  named.  George  Sheller  was  a  native  of  Ger- 
many and  by  occupation  a  farmer.  He  possessed  more  than  ordi- 
nary energy  and  during  his  residence  in  Illinois  accumulated  a  hand- 
some estate,  which  after  his  death  was  not  only  ably  and  judiciously 
managed  by  his  widow  but  very  materially  increased.  Mrs.  Sheller 
was  a  woman  of  bright  mind,  strong  character  and  a  superior  busi- 
ness ability  and  tact  as  the  prosperous  condition  of  the  farm  and 
other  interests  at  the  time  of  her  death  in  September,  1901,  abund- 
antly proved.  While  remarkably  enterprising  in  the  management  of 
her  affairs  she  also  possessed  those  beautiful  and  amiable  qualities  of 
mind  and  heart  which  endeared  her  to  her  family  and  gained  for  her 
a  large  circle  of  friends  in  her  own  and  other  neighborhoods. 

Mrs.  Rainey  was  but  five  years  old  when  her  father  died,  from 
which  time  until  her  marriage  she  was  under  the  immediate  care  of 
her  mother,  who  spared  no  pains  on  the  training  of  her  children  and 
early  impressing  upon  their  minds  the  necessity  of  upright  characters 
and  correct  conduct  as  the  surest  passports  to  honorable  manhood 
and  womanhood  and  to  success  in  life. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rainey's  union  has  been  blessed  with  four  chil- 
dren, whose  names  and  dates  of  birth  are  as  follows :  Pearl,  Novem- 
ber 23,  1896;  Helen  Edna,  March  II,  1900;  John  Thomas.  Octo- 
ber 15,  1903,  and  Joseph  Edward,  who  became  a  member  of  the 
family  circle  on  the  13th  day  of  March,  1907. 

The  political  views  of  Mr.  Rainey  are  in  harmony  with  the 
principles  and  traditions  of  the  Republican  party  but  he  has  never 
been  a  partisan  and  with  exception  of  the  office  of  postmaster  at  the 
town  of  Welga,  has  held  no  public  position  nor  aspired  thereto. 
Fraternally  he  belongs  to  the  Masonic  Lodge  at  Steelville. 


500  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

WESLEY  BARGER  CASEY. 

No  name  is  more  familiar  in  Jefferson  county  than  that  of  Casey 
and  no  other  family  was  earlier  or  more  largely  identified  with  its 
growth  and  development.  The  founder  was  Isaac  Casey,  a  native 
of  Carolina,  who  came  to  Illinois  at  an  early  day  and  became  identi- 
fied with  the  government  survey  of  the  southern  part  of  the  territory. 
Previously  he  had  held  official  positions  in  Kentucky  and  was  in  the 
government  employ  many  years.  He  died  in  1 85 1  after  a  long  and 
useful  life,  at  the  home  of  his  son.  Thomas  Mackley  Casey,  son  of 
the  foregoing,  was  born  in  Kentucky  March  12,  1809,  but  went 
with  his  father  to  Tennessee  and  from  that  state  removed  to  the  terri- 
tory of  Illinois  in  1817.  The  trip  was  made  on  horseback,  the  party 
as  usual  with  pioneers,  carrying  the  frying-pans  and  rifles  and  other 
personal  effects.  After  looking  the  country  over  and  staking  out 
their  claims  they  returned  to  Tennessee  but  in  the  following  spring 
came  back  with  their  families  and  belongings,  the  former  being  more 
numerous  than  the  latter.  Thomas  M.  Casey's  claim  included  what 
is  now  known  as  the  Pleasant  Grove  neighborhood,  four  miles  north 
of  Mount  Vernon.  His  brother,  Abram  Casey,  selected  an  adjoin- 
ing claim  and  three  of  the  Maxeys  who  afterwards  assumed  the 
relationship  of  brothers-in-law,  also  selected  claims  nearby,  the  entire 
holdings  being  later  known  as  the  Casey-Maxey  settlement.  Thomas 
M.  was  a  farmer  and  became  an  extensive  breeder  and  buyer  of  hogs, 
cattle  and  mules.  He  was  a  devout  Christian  and  took  much  interest 
in  church  work,  the  Pleasant  Grove  neighborhood  having  the  first 
place  of  worship  in  Jefferson  county,  and  becoming  famed  all  over 
Southern  Illinois  as  a  religious  rendezvous.  Thomas  M.Casey's  home 
was  headquarters  for  the  pioneer  circuit  riders  and  the  wandering 
evangelists  who  carried  the  Bible  messages  to  the  dangerous  western 
wilderness.     He  died  October  4,   1868,  at  the  age  of  sixty-four. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  501 

much  respected  both  as  a  man  and  citizen.  He  married  Harriet, 
daughter  of  WiUiam  Maxey,  who  settled  on  government  land  three 
miles  northwest  of  Mount  Vernon,  where  his  grand  and  great-grand- 
children still  reside.  The  Maxeys  were  among  the  earliest  arrivals 
in  this  section  and  have  long  been  one  of  the  influential  families  of 
Jefferson  county.  Mrs.  Thomas  (Maxey)  Casey  was  born  Janu- 
ary 18,  1801,  and  died  at  the  old  homestead  March  15,  1877,  at 
the  age  of  seventy-six  years. 

Wesley  Barger  Casey,  a  son  of  this  couple,  was  born  in  Jef- 
ferson county,  Illinois,  June  4,  1834.  He  remained  on  his  father's 
farm  until  he  reached  the  age  of  sixteen  years,  when  he  began  work 
as  apprentice  to  a  coach-maker  at  Lebanon,  St.  Clair  county,  and 
later  at  Troy.  He  mastered  this  trade  completely  and  worked  at 
it  for  many  years  mostly  in  Mount  Vernon,  but  eventually  became  a 
carpenter  and  painter.  This  eventuated  into  the  business  of  contract- 
ing and  building  which  employed  his  time  until  recent  years.  He  has 
superintended  the  erection  of  some  of  the  best  buildings  of  Mount 
Vernon,  including  the  present  court-house,  and  many  of  the  sub- 
stantial residences.  He  has  lived  to  see  four  court-houses  built  in 
Jefferson  county,  the  first  a  log  cabin  which  stood  at  the  present  site 
on  the  public  square.  The  second  was  a  brick  building,  with  a  log 
jail  standing  beside  it,  the  third  a  modern  brick  structure,  was  de- 
stroyed by  the  cyclone  in  1888,  which  practically  wiped  out  the 
city.  The  present  handsome  building  was  begun  in  1 888  and  finished 
a  year  later.  Mr.  Casey  has  literary  tastes  and  has  done  some  note- 
worthy work  in  that  line.  When  still  a  boy  he  wrote  and  published  a 
serial  story  and  later  in  life  corresponded  for  Colman's  Rural  World 
and  other  well  known  agricultural  papers.  He  was  instrumental  in  or- 
ganizing the  Illinois  State  Grange  during  the  seventies  and  wrote  for 
the  press  in  behalf  of  the  Patrons  of  Husbandry.  He  was  the  first 
town  Constable  of  Mount  Vernon  and  later  became  Justice  of  the 


502  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

Peace.  Reared  in  the  lap  of  the  Methodist  church,  as  he  expresses 
it,  he  has  affihated  all  his  life  with  churches  and  church  work.  In 
1861  Mr.  Casey  organized  at  Xenia  a  company,  which  subsequently 
became  a  part  of  General  Grant's  old  regiment.  He  was  elected 
captain  but  fearing  he  would  not  be  able  to  stand  infantry  service, 
did  not  receive  the  commission.  Soon  afterward,  however,  he  as- 
sisted in  organizing  at  Centralia  a  company  of  cavalry  known  after- 
wards as  Noleman's  Cavalry.  Eventually  it  became  Company  H, 
First  Illinois  Cavalry,  the  first  in  that  branch  of  the  service  from  the 
state  with  the  exception  of  Captain  Barker's  Chicago  Dragoons. 
Mr.  Casey  was  acting  lieutenant  on  detached  duty  until  the  com- 
mand was  mustered  out  at  Corinth,  Mississippi,  after  a  service  of 
thirteen  months.  Afterward  Mr.  Casey  became  first  lieutenant  and 
adjutant  of  the  Eighty-third  Illinois  Infantry  organized  at  Mon- 
mouth, wdth  which  he  went  immediately  into  service,  at  Fort  Donel- 
son,  Tennessee.  He  was  acting  assistant  adjutant-general  at  Fort 
Donelson  and  Clarksville,  Tennessee.  He  served  gallantly  and 
bravely  as  the  record  of  his  command  will  attest.  At  the  third  bat- 
tle of  Fort  Donelson  he  was  shot  through  the  arm  and  during  the 
same  engagement  a  horse  fell  on  him  and  crushed  his  leg.  He  pre- 
served some  interesting  relics  of  the  war  including  a  written  state- 
ment of  Confederate  Generals  Wheeler,  Forrest  and  Wharton,  con- 
cerning the  surrender.  Mr.  Casey  made  the  official  report  of  the 
battle  of  Fort  Donelson. 

After  the  war  Mr.  Casey  returned  to  his  native  county  and  en- 
gaged in  building  and  contracting.  In  1873  he  embarked  in  the 
breeding  of  fine  cattle  in  partnership  with  George  E.  Waring,  of 
Newport,  Rhode  Island,  and  established  what  was  known  as  the 
Grove  Farm  branch  of  the  Ogden  Farm  herd  of  Jersey  cattle.  This 
was  the  first  importation  of  Jersey  cattle  into  Jefferson  county  or 
Southern  Illinois  and  all  the  Jersey  cattle  in  this  part  of  the  state 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO..   ILL.  503 

sprang  from  the  herd  introduced  by  Mr.  Casey.  The  Ogden  Farm 
Herd  founded  by  Mr.  Waring  was  the  first  Jersey  herd  estabhshed 
in  the  United  States.  Mr.  Casey  accompHshed  much  in  raising  the 
standard  of  thoroughbred  stock  in  Jefferson  county.  For  a  number 
of  years  he  was  also  engaged  in  raising  fine  poultry  and  hogs. 

In  1855  Mr.  Casey  married  Lucy  A.  Mills,  of  Mount  Ver- 
non, who  died  without  issue,  in  January,  1857.  In  May,  1858,  Mr. 
Casey  contracted  a  second  matrimonial  alliance  with  Mrs.  Ann  A. 
M.  Allison,  of  Marion  county,  by  whom  he  had  four  children,  Mrs. 
J.  Eva  Stephens,  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri;  Elmer  A.,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  twenty-six;  and  two  who  died  in  infancy.  The  mother 
departed  this  life  in  1 867.  Mr.  Casey  marrid  Mary  Isabella  Thom- 
son, of  Albion,  Edwards  county,  who  still  graces  his  household. 
She  was  born  in  England  and  came  with  her  parents  to  Illinois  when 
three  years  old  and  this  family  with  other  English  immigrants  who 
settled  in  Albion  gave  it  the  name  of  "Little  Britian."  Mary  A. 
Casey  is  the  only  child  by  the  last  marriage. 


JOSEPH  W.  SIMMONS. 

Prominent  in  the  general  affairs  of  Mount  Vernon  and  enjoying 
distinction  in  business  circles.  Joseph  W.  Simmons  stands  out  as  a 
familiar  figure  among  the  successful  self-made  men  in  the  county  and 
city  that  have  been  honored  by  his  citizenship.  Characerized  by  a 
strong  individuality  his  career  represents  the  result  of  the  proper  use 
of  native  talent  in  directing  effort  and  energy.  He  has  been  actively 
identified  with  the  city  of  Mount  Vernon  for  thirteen  years,  con- 
tributing to  its  material  progress  and  prosperity,  at  the  same  time 
lending  his  influence  and  means  to  the  generous  support  of  all  en- 


504  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

terprises  having  for  their  object  the  social  and  moral  advancement 
of  the  city  and  county  and  the  general  vk'elfare  of  the  public. 

The  Simmons  family  came  to  Illinois  from  Tennessee,  and  set- 
tled in  Wayne  county.  John  Simmons,  grandfather  of  our  subject, 
was  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  was  an  extensive  slave  holder  and 
farmer.  He  was  a  man  of  broad  views,  however,  and  held  a  high 
place  in  the  esteem  of  his  neighbors.  He  later  removed  to  Tennes- 
see in  the  vicinity  of  Nashville,  where  Benjamin  Simmons,  the  fa- 
ther of  Joseph,  was  born  and  reared.  Benjamin  Simmons  enlisted 
in  the  Union  army  at  the  last  call,  but  did  not  see  much  active  ser- 
vice on  the  field.  He  engaged  in  farming  after  coming  to  Wayne 
county,  Illinois,  and  continued  at  that  until  his  retirement  a  few  years 
ago.  Joseph's  mother,  Mary  (Strange)  Simmons,  was  born  in 
Washington  county,  Indiana.  She  departed  this  life  in  1900  and 
was  the  mother  of  six  children,  three  of  whom  survive,  viz.,  Joseph, 
Benjamin,  who  lives  near  Cairo,  Illinois,  and  Mrs.  Louisa  Clark,  of 
Wayne  county,  Illinois. 

Joseph  W.  was  born  on  July  7,  1863,  near  Nashville,  Ten- 
nessee, and  attended  school  at  Hickory  Hill,  in  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  and  later  in  the  district  school  near  the  parental  home  in 
Wayne  county,  having  been  but  a  child  when  his  parents  came  to 
Illinois.  Although  the  scope  of  his  schooling  was  thus  limited  to  the 
common  school  course,  yet  he  has  made  the  most  of  his  opportunities 
and  has  broadened  himself  through  reading  and  observation,  acquir- 
ing in  his  maturer  years  a  fund  of  knowledge  and  experience  that 
place  him  on  a  level  with  the  best  people  of  the  community.  In  his 
younger  manhood  he  turned  his  attention  to  farming  and  followed 
that  vocation  up  till  thirteen  years  ago,  as  stated  above,  when  he  came 
to  Mount  Vernon.  He  became  engaged  in  the  car  shops  for  one 
year,  and  then  began  work  as  clerk  in  the  general  store  of  John 
Koons,  in  the  building  where  Mr.  Simmons  is  now  located.     In 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  505 

1905  he  bought  out  Mr.  Koons  and  went  into  partnership  with  S. 
M.  KilHon.  Later  Mr.  KiUion  disposed  of  his  interest  to  George 
Carter,  who,  in  turn,  sold  to  M.  D.  Coleman,  the  firm  name  now 
being  Simmons  &  Coleman.  The  business  is  extensive  and  the 
stock  varied  and  heavy,  the  three  floors  of  the  building  which  is 
one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  in  length  being  needed  to  accommo- 
date the  needs  of  the  trade.  They  handle  hardware  and  furniture 
and  also  operate  a  tin  shop  carrying  a  full  line  of  tinners'  supplies. 

The  domestic  life  of  Mr.  Simmons  dates  from  1884,  at  which 
time  he  entered  the  marriage  relation  with  Miss  Ellen  Gaskill,  a 
native  of  Thorntown,  Indiana,  and  a  lady  of  many  estimable  quali- 
ities  of  mind  and  heart,  as  is  attested  by  the  large  circle  of  friends 
that  hold  her  in  esteem  and  affectionate  regard. 

Mr.  Simmons  is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  and  of 
the  American  Home  Circle.  He  has  positive  convictions  on  the 
political  questions  of  the  day,  and  is  a  profound  advocate  of  the  prin- 
ciples espoused  by  the  Democratic  party. 


ISAAC  GOODNIGHT  GEE,  M.  D. 

Conspicuous  among  the  pioneers  sent  out  from  the  Old  Do- 
minion to  wrestle  with  the  dangers  and  difficulties  of  the  western 
wilderness,  was  John  Sandford  Gee.  Born  in  Virgnia,  January  1 0, 
1777,  he  was  married  in  his  twenty-first  year  to  Susan  Tudor,  the 
ceremony  taking  place  July  1 0,  I  798.  His  spirit  of  adventure  had 
been  whetted  by  the  tales  of  daring  and  heroic  achievement  in  Ken- 
tucky under  the  leadership  of  the  celebrated  Daniel  Boone.  He 
longed  to  join  these  devoted  pioneers,  but  did  not  succeed  in  cross- 
ing the  mountains  until  1803.     He  settled  in  what  is  now  Metcalf 


506  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

county,  entered  land  and  engaged  in  farming,  after  the  rude  methods 
prevaihng  at  that  day  in  the  sparsely  settled  state  of  Kentucky.  In 
addition  to  farming,  he  carried  on  surveying  which  was  a  profitable 
business  in  the  formative  period  of  the  new  commonwealth.  Sand- 
ford  Gee  lived  a  useful  and  industrious  life,  became  prominent  and 
popular  as  one  of  the  leading  pioneers  of  the  "Dark  and  Bloody 
Ground"  and  was  gathered  to  his  fathers  at  a  ripe  old  age.  He 
left  a  worthy  son  to  succeed  him  in  the  person  of  William  Gee,  who 
was  born  October  16,  1810,  at  the  old  Kentucky  home.  On  Octo- 
ber 3,  1837,  when  twenty-seven  years  old  he  united  his  fortunes 
with  Malinda  Billingsley,  one  of  the  amiable  and  resolute  girls  of 
his  neighborhood.  The  children  resulting  from  this  union  were: 
John  A.,  of  Tamaroa,  Illinois;  I.  G.  Gee,  who  is  the  subject  of  this 
sketch;  W.  S.,  of  Tarkio,  Missouri;  M.  D.,  of  Mountain  Grove,  in 
the  same  state;  and  Henry  M.,  deceased.  The  father  moved  to 
Illinois  in  October,  1852,  and  settled  about  four  miles  east  of 
Tamaroa,  in  Perry  county.  About  1883,  he  went  to  Nebraska, 
but  after  a  residence  of  three  years,  returned  to  Illinois  and  located 
at  Tamaroa  where  his  long  and  active  life  was  terminated  by  the 
summons  that  eventually  comes  to  every  human  being.  In  his  younger 
days,  he  taught  school,  later  became  a  proficient  surveyor,  but  his 
main  business  was  farming.  He  and  his  wife  were  charter  members 
of  the  old  Paradise  church  in  Perry  county,  which  was  organized 
in  1 853  in  a  barn  near  where  the  present  meeting-house  stands.  Dur- 
ing these  forty-eight  years  of  church  relationship,  this  sturdy  couple 
were  faithful  to  every  duty.  William  Gee  departed  this  life  in  May, 
1890,  and  his  faithful  partner  survived  him  only  a  few  years. 

I.  G.  Gee,  the  second  in  order  of  birth  of  their  children,  was 
born  in  Simpson  county,  Kentucky,  September  19,  1841,  and  was 
eleven  years  old  when  his  parents  emigrated  to  Illinois.  He  worked 
on  the  farm  in  boyhood,  later  taught  one  term  of  school,  and  then 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  507 

began  the  study  of  medicine.     After  graduating  from  the  Eclectic 
Medical  Institute  of  Cincinnati,  in  1865,  he  engaged  in  the  practice 
near  Gitzgerrell,  in  the  south  part  of  Jefferson  county.     In  1892, 
after  a  prosperous  and  popular  career  in  this  profession,  he  retired 
and  located  at  Mount  Vernon  for  a  life  of  more  leisure.     He  has 
prospered  as  the  result  of  ability,  energy  and  strict  devotion  to  busi- 
ness.    He  has  extensive  farming  interests,  besides  other  valuable  in- 
vestments.    He  is  a  stock  holder  and  vice-president  of  the  Third 
National  Bank,  president  and  stock  holder  of  the  Waltonville  Bank, 
conducted  by  I.  G.  Gee  &  Company,  and  also  a  stock  holder  in  the 
Mount  Vernon  Car  Manufacturing  Company.     He  has  served  as 
City  Alderman  and  Supervisor  of  Mount  Vernon  township.     He  is 
president  of  the  Royal  Building  and  Loan  Company,  of  Mount 
Vernon,  and  quite  prominent  in  Masonic  circles  by  virtue  of  his  mem- 
bership of  the  Blue  Lodge,  Royal  Arch  Masons  and  Knights  Tem- 
plar, branches  of  that  ancient  order.     Personally,  Doctor  Gee  is  a 
fine  specimen  of  physical  manhood — large,  well  built,  over  six  feet 
in  height,  always  wearing  a  broad  white  hat,  his  picturesque  appear- 
ance recalls  the  best  Kentucky  type.     He  is  justly  proud  of  his  fam- 
ily history  and  few  men  have  had  a  more  worthy  line  of  ancestors. 
On  December  26,  1 867,  Doctor  Gee  was  married  to  Elzina  J., 
daughter  of  J.  J.  Fitzgerrell,  a  native  of  Gibson  county,  Indiana, 
who  came  to  Jefferson  county  many  years  before  the  Civil  war  and 
reared  a  family  here.     He  was  born  in  1815,  settled  in  IlHnois  in 
1839,  and  died  on  his  old  homestead  June  30,  1887,  after  a  long, 
blameless  and  useful  life.     The  five  children  bom  to  Doctor  and 
Mrs.  Gee  were:  James  William,  who  died  in  infancy;  John  S.,  de- 
ceased; Harl  L.,  a  physician  of  Mount  Vernon;  Earl,  who  died 
when  six  years  old;  Knox,  cashier  of  the  bank  at  Waltonville,  of 
which  his  father  is  senior  partner.     Doctor  and  Mrs.  Gee  are  mem- 
bers of  the  First  Baptist  church  of  Mount  Vernon. 


508  .wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

LOUIS  L.  EMMERSON. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  essentially  one  of  the  leading  busi- 
ness men  of  Mount  Vernon  and  enjoys  an  honorable  reputation  in 
commercial  and  financial  circles  throughout  the  entire  state.  As  a 
merchant  and  banker  he  has  wielded  a  strong  influence  in  promot- 
ing the  material  interests  of  his  city  and  county,  and  as  a  citizen  is 
broad  minded,  liberal  and  public-spirited,  taking  an  active  part  in 
public  affairs  and  in  many  respects  has  exercised  the  functions  of  a 
leader  among  his  fellow  men.  The  family  of  which  Louis  L.  Em- 
merson  is  an  honorable  representative  is  an  old  and  highly  esteemed 
one  which  figured  conspicuously  in  the  early  history  of  Kentucky 
and  later  became  mfluential  m  the  pioneer  settlement  and  subsequent 
development  of  Edwards  county,  Illinois.  Allen  Emmerson.  the  sub- 
ject's grandfather,  was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  a  man  of  much 
prominence  in  his  day.  He  went  to  Indiana  when  a  young  man  and 
after  a  residence  of  a  few  years  at  the  town  of  Princeton,  that  state, 
changed  his  abode  about  1817  to  Edwards  county,  Illinois,  where 
in  due  time  he  became  an  influential  factor  and  where  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  life,  dying  in  the  year  1876,  at  a  ripe  old  age.  He 
was  County  Judge  for  many  years,  held  various  other  local  offices 
and  did  much  to  advance  the  material  interests  of  Edwards  county 
and  make  it  one  of  the  finest  and  most  progressive  sections  of  Illinois. 
When  twenty  years  old,  Allen  Emmerson  married  a  young  lady 
nineteen  years  of  age  by  the  name  of  Samantha  Mounts,  a  lineal 
descendant  of  General  Montgomery,  of  Revolutionary  fame,  and  a 
niece  of  David  Crockett,  the  celebrated  frontier  huntsman  and  In- 
dian lighter  and  a  representative  from  his  state  in  the  National  Con- 
gress. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Emmerson  had  fourteen  children,  twelve  of 
whom  grew  to  maturity,  and  the  good  old  couple  lived  to  celebrate 
the  sixty-fifth  anniversary  of  their  marriage,  shortly  after  which  event 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  509 

they  were  called  to  the  other  world,  having  died  within  three  months 
of  each  other. 

Jesse  Emmerson,  second  child  of  Allen  and  Samantha  Em- 
merson,  was  born  in  Indiana  in  1813,  and  as  early  as  1817  accom- 
panied his  parents  to  Edwards  county,  Illinois,  where  he  grew  to 
manhood  and  became  a  leading  citizen.  He  too,  was  prominent  in 
public  matters,  served  as  Sheriff  and  County  Clerk  and  in  other  offi- 
cial capacities  and  accumulated  a  large  fortune  for  the  period  in  which 
he  lived.  His  wife,  Fanny  Suardet,  was  born  in  Geneva,  Switzerland, 
and  when  a  young  woman  came  to  America  with  a  brother,  who 
went  to  California,  the  sister  stopping  temporarily  at  New  Harmony, 
Indiana,  where  she  met  the  gentleman  who  subsequently  became  her 
husband.  They  were  married  at  Albion,  Illinois,  and  remained  in 
that  town  until  the  death  of  Mr.  Emmerson  in  June,  1893,  some  time 
after  which  the  widow  removed  to  Olney,  where  she  now  resides. 
Jesse  and  Fanny  Emmerson  reared  a  family  of  four  children,  the 
oldest  of  whom,  Morris  Emmerson,  is  editor  of  the  News-Herald,  at 
Lincoln,  Illinois,  and  an  influential  man  of  that  city.  Charles,  the 
second  son  in  order  of  birth,  is  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank  of 
Albion  and  a  business  man  and  financier  of  wide  repute.  Mrs.  Otto 
Krug,  of  Sullivan,  Indiana,  is  the  third  of  the  family,  the  youngest 
of  the  number  being  Louis  L.,  of  this  review. 

Louis  L.  Emmerson,  was  born  December  27,  1863,  at  Albion, 
Illinois,  and  spent  his  early  life  in  that  town,  receiving  his  educa- 
tional discipline  in  the  public  schools.  On  quitting  his  studies  he 
accepted  a  clerkship  in  a  mercantile  house  of  Albion  in  connection 
with  which  he  also  served  for  some  time  as  secretary  of  the  Agri- 
cultural Association  of  Edwards  county,  the  meanwhile  becoming 
familiar  with  business  and  earning  an  honorable  reputation  among 
the  enterprising  young  men  of  the  city. 

In   1885   Mr.  Emmerson,  in  partnership  with  his  brother-in- 


510  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

law,  embarked  in  the  dry  goods  trade  at  Sullivan,  Indiana,  but  after 
a  year  at  that  place  returned  to  Albion  and  subsequently  in  Decem- 
ber, 1 886,  came  to  Mount  Vernon,  where  the  firm  of  Emmerson  & 
Crackel  was  continued  eight  years,  during  which  time  they  built  up 
a  lucrative  patronage  and  forged  to  the  front  among  the  leading 
merchants  of  the  place.  For  five  years  of  the  above  period  the  busi- 
ness was  conducted  where  the  Waters  drug  store  now  stands  and  it 
is  a  fact  worthy  of  note  that  the  store  of  Emmerson  &  Crackel  was 
the  only  dry  goods  house  in  the  city  which  escaped  destruction  in  the 
terrific  cyclone  of  February  1 9,  1 888. 

Leaving  the  above  location  at  the  expiration  of  the  time  indi- 
cated the  firm  moved  to  the  room  now  occupied  by  the  Mammoth 
clothing  store,  but  after  three  years  at  the  latter  place,  Mr.  Emmer- 
son disposed  of  his  interest  in  the  concern  to  the  Crackels  and  en- 
gaged in  the  furniture  trade  in  partnership  with  J.  N.  Johnson.  The 
firm  thus  constituted  lasted  several  years  and  did  a  successful  busi- 
ness in  what  is  now  known  as  the  Johnson  building.  In  1899  Mr. 
Emmerson  and  A.  W.  B.  Johnson  organized  the  Boston  store,  one 
of  the  leading  mercantile  enterprises  of  the  city,  and  held  an  interest 
in  the  business  until  about  1904,  but  in  the  meantime,  February, 
1901,  became  identified  with  the  Third  National  Bank,  which  he 
has  smce  served  in  the  capacity  of  cashier. 

The  Third  National  Bank,  of  which  Mr.  Emmerson  was  one 
of  the  organizers,  succeeded  the  Evans  &  Gee  Banking  Company, 
and  is  now  one  of  the  most  successful  and  popular  institutions  of  the 
kind,  not  only  in  Mount  Vernon,  but  in  Southern  Illinois.  It  is 
ably  managed  by  well  known  and  responsible  men,  has  an  extensive 
patronage  in  Jefferson  and  neighboring  counties,  and  has  proven  a 
valuable  addition  to  the  business  of  the  city,  ranking,  as  already 
stated,  among  the  solid  monetary  institutions  in  this  part  of  the  state 
and  steadily  growing  in  public  favor.     Aside  from  his  interests  in 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  511 

Mount  Vernon,  Mr.  Emmerson  is  connected  with  important  enter- 
prises elsewhere,  being  president  and  director  of  the  bank  at  Kell 
and  a  director  of  the  Waltonville  Bank  at  Wahonville.  For  the 
past  seven  years  he  has  been  secretary  of  the  Mount  Vernon  Building 
&  Loan  Association,  and  among  other  local  interests  with  which  he 
is  identified  are  the  Mount  Vernon  Ice  &  Storage  Company,  the 
Mount  Vernon  Car  Manufacturing  Company,  the  National  Hosiery 
Company,  to  all  of  which  he  sustains  the  relation  of  director.  He  is 
also  secretary  of  the  Steel-Smith  Dry  Good  Company,  Birmingham, 
Alabama,  and  a  director  and  leading  spirit  in  the  Mount  Vernon 
Chautauqua  Association,  besides  being  connected  with  various  other 
hnes  of  benevolent  work  in  the  city  and  elsewhere. 

Mr.  Emmerson  has  always  manifested  a  commendable  interest 
in  the  material  progress  of  Mount  Vernon  and  the  social  and  moral 
advancement  of  the  people.  He  took  a  prominent  part  in  establish- 
ing the  Carnegie  Library  and  the  Mount  Vernon  township  high  school 
and  served  as  a  director  of  both  enterprises  at  the  time  of  their  organi- 
zation. He  also  displayed  great  ability  as  a  politician  and  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  his  influence  has  been  felt  in  the  councils  of  the  Repub- 
lican party,  locally  and  throughout  the  state,  being  at  this  time  State 
Committeeman  for  the  Twenty-third  Congressional  District.  He 
was  appointed  by  Governor  Deneen  a  member  of  the  State  Board 
of  Equalization  for  the  same  district  and  is  now  serving  in  that  capa- 
city besides  holding  various  other  posts  of  minor  note,  in  all  of  which 
he  has  discharged  his  duties  ably  and  faithfully  and  fully  meets  the 
expectations  of  his  friends  and  the  demand  of  the  public.  In  1893 
he  was  elected  to  the  City  Council  and  while  a  member  of  that  body 
was  largely  instrumental  in  bringing  about  a  number  of  public  im- 
provements, including  among  others  the  paving  of  many  miles  of 
streets  which  has  greatly  added  to  the  attractiveness  of  the  city  as 
well  as  to  its  material  progress.     He  served  one  term  as  president  of 


512  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL, 

the  city  School  Board  and  was  one  of  the  first  directors  of  the  town- 
ship high  school,  but  by  reason  of  a  technicality  in  the  election  of  the 
latter  board  did  not  serve. 

Mr.  Emmerson  is  prominent  in  secret  fraternal  work,  being  a 
thirty-second  degree  Mason  and  for  a  number  of  years  high  priest  of 
Hubbard  Chapter,  No.  160.  He  is  now  grand  Royal  Arch  cap- 
tain of  the  Grand  Chapter  of  Illinois,  and  during  the  first  three  years 
of  its  existence,  was  eminent  commander  of  Patton  Commandery, 
No.  69,  being  a  charter  member  of  the  same  and  influential  in  its 
affairs  ever  since  the  organization  went  into  effect.  He  belongs  to 
Danville  Council,  No.  37,  Royal  and  Select  Masters,  at  Danville, 
Illinois,  and  the  Medina  Temple  Mystic  Shrine,  at  Chicago.  He  is 
also  a  leading  member  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of 
Elks.  He  took  an  active  part  in  establishing  the  organization  at 
Mount  Vernon  and  during  the  first  two  years  of  its  existence  served 
as  exalted  ruler. 

Mr.  Emmerson  was  married  on  September  22,  1887,  at  Gray- 
ville,  Illinois,  to  Miss  Annie  Mathews,  daughter  of  TTiomas  and 
Eliza  Mathews,  of  that  town,  the  union  being  blessed  with  two  chil- 
dren. Aline,  born  July  16,  1893,  and  Dorothy,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred on  the  22d  day  of  August,  1 896.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Emmerson 
are  esteemed  members  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of  Mount 
Vernon  and  actively  interested  in  the  work  of  the  same.  Mr.  Em- 
merson is  especially  zealous  in  the  Sunday  school  and  has  long  been 
one  of  its  most  efficient  teachers,  having  at  this  time  a  class  of  more 
than  fifty  members  to  whom  he  gives  the  benefit  of  his  profound 
Biblical  knowledge  and  wide  information  on  general  religious  sub- 
jects. He  is  a  careful  and  critical  student  of  the  Scriptures  and  an 
earnest  and  sincere  believer  in  the  truths  which  they  reveal  and  ever 
since  arriving  at  the  years  of  accountability  he  has  endeavored  to 
shape  his  life  in  harmony  with  the  teachings  and  example  of  the  man 
of  Nazareth. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  513 

Mr.  Emmerson's  success  in  business  has  enabled  him  to  accu- 
mulate a  handsome  competency  and  he  is  now  ranking  among  the* 
financially  solid  and  well-to-do  men  of  his  city  and  county.  His 
home  at  the  junction  of  Seventh  and  Jordon  streets  is  one  of  the  finest 
in  the  city  and  the  center  from  which  radiates  a  grateful  influence 
reaching  to  all  parts  of  the  community  and  benefitting  all  with  whom 
it  comes  in  contact.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  Mr.  Emmerson 
is  one  of  the  most  public-spirited  men  of  Mount  Vernon  and  his  deep 
interest  in  behalf  of  charitable,  benevolent  and  other  humanitarian 
enterprises,  has  gained  for  him  the  lasting  regard  of  the  many  who 
have  been  benefited  and  permanently  assisted  by  his  liberality.  Per- 
sonally he  is  the  most  genial  of  men,  a  warm  friend  and  delightful 
companion.  In  the  social  circles  he  and  his  estimable  wife  are  ex- 
ceedingly popular  and  all  of  his  relations  with  his  fellow  men  have 
been  marked  by  the  affable  manner  and  high  sense  of  honor  char- 
acteristic of  the  courteous  and  refined  gentleman. 


JAMES  H.  MAXEY. 


The  family  by  this  name  has  been  familiar  in  Jefferson  county 
almost  from  its  organization  as  the  Maxeys  came  early,  multiplied 
fast  and  became  in  time  one  of  the  most  widely  distributed  connec- 
tions in  this  part  of  Illinois.  They  were  mostly  identified  with  agri- 
cultural pursuits  and  contributed  much  toward  the  progressive  agri- 
culture for  which  Illinois  is  famous.  The  name  is  synonymous  with 
thrift  and  solidity,  enterprise  and  growth,  good  citizenship,  public 
spirit  and  success  in  all  the  affairs  of  life.  The  work  of  those  who 
bear  this  honored  name  and  the  blood  relationship  resulting  from 
numerous  intermarriages  have  made  the  Maxey  connection  one  of 

the  most  influential  in  the  county  and  few  branches  of  public  busi- 
33 


514  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL, 

ness  have  escaped  their  activities.     James  H.  Maxey,  one  of  the 
younger  generation  in  this  popular  pioneer  family,  has  well  sustained 
the  traditions  with  his  name.    His  father,  James  C.  Maxey,  of  whom 
a  sketch  appears  elsewhere  in  this  volume,  owns  a  fine  farm  in  Shiloh 
township  and  has  devoted  his  life  to  agriculture.    James  H.  Maxey 
was  bom  on  this  Jefferson  county  farm  on  the  26th  day  of  May, 
1865,  and  was  reared  in  the  manner  best  fitted  to  equip  young 
men  for  success  in  life.  His  early  education  was  obtained  in  Webber 
township,  supplemented  by  the  practical  knowledge  derived  from 
work  on  the  farm  and  association  with  those  engaged  in  this  im- 
portant pursuit.      In    1886  just  after  reaching  his  majority,   Mr. 
Maxey  came  to  Mount  Vernon  and  entered  the  employment  of  the 
Louisville  &  Nashville  Railroad  Company,  as  assistant  storekeeper 
of  their  shops.     He  retained  this  position  two  years,  giving  entire 
satisfaction  to  his  employers  but  at  the  end  of  this  time  decided  to 
engage  in  farming,  for  which  he  had  a  natural  inclination.     After 
spending  a  year  on  the  farm  in  Shiloh  township  he  removed  to  an- 
other in  McClellan  township,  where  he  made  his  home  for  another 
year.     Abandoning  agriculture  for  the  time  being  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  Mount  Vernon,  and  spent  twelve  months  as  agent  for  the 
Louisville  &  Nashville  Railroad.    The  next  twelve  years  were  spent 
in  the  produce  and  ice  business  which  he  prosecuted  with  success  and 
profit.     In  1904  he  became  secretary-treasurer  and  manager  of  the 
Mount  Vernon  Ice  &  Storage  Company,  a  corporation  doing  an  ex- 
tensive local  business  and  of  which  he  has  held  the  active  manage- 
ment up  to  the  present  time.     The  company  has  an  annual  business 
of  five  thousand  tons  of  ice  and  also  does  a  large  storage  business. 
Mr.  Maxey  is  also  the  local  manager  for  the  Standard  Oil  Company 
and  has  held  this  position  for  fifteen  years.     He  has  displayed  fine 
business  judgment  in  directing  the  affairs  of  this  great  corporation 
and  shown  himself  to  be  possessed  of  exceptional  talent  for  admin- 
tration  and  organization.     His  activities,  however,  are  by  no  means 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  515 

confined  to  the  management  of  the  companies  with  which  he  is  con- 
nected at  Mount  Vernon.  He  owns  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  in  McClellan  township  and  one  somewhat  smaller  in 
Mount  Vernon  township  to  the  management  of  which  he  gives  suffi- 
cient time  to  see  that  they  are  conducted  on  progressive  and  profit- 
able lines.  He  thoroughly  understands  farming  and  takes  much 
pleasure  in  his  active  connection  with  the  agricultural  interests  of 
the  county.  Mr.  Maxey  served  two  years  as  a  Democratic  mem- 
ber of  the  City  Council  from  the  First  ward,  and  held  the  office  of 
Tax  Collector  for  one  year.  Mr.  Maxey  belongs  to  three  branches 
of  Masonry,  the  Blue  Lodge,  of  which  he  is  past  master,  the  Chap- 
ter and  Commandery.  He  also  holds  membership  in  the  order  of 
Modern  Woodmen. 

On  October  3,  1888,  Mr.  Maxey  married  Miss  Mary,  daugh- 
ter of  the  late  Willis  A.  Keller,  by  whom  he  has  had  two  children, 
Lester  and  Helen.  The  former,  who  is  now  nineteen  years  old  and  a 
youth  of  great  promise  is  a  student  of  the  Illinois  State  University. 
Those  who  know  him  best  predict  that  he  will  sustain  the  best  tradi- 
tions of  his  family  and  realize  the  fondest  hopes  of  his  father.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Maxey  are  members  of  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  of  which  he  has  been  financial  secretary  for  a  number  of 
years.  No  residents  of  Mount  Vernon  enjoy  higher  esteem  than 
they,  and  they  are  welcome  in  the  most  select  of  the  city's  social 
circles. 


GEORGE  F.  M.  WARD. 


Among  the  sturdy  emigrants  who  came  out  of  New  England 
to  enrich  the  West  with  their  energy  and  enterprise  was  a  fine  fam- 
ily, the  Wards,  of  the  best  Colonial  stock  of  Connecticut.     Henry 


516  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL. 

"Ward,  a  native  of  Waterbury,  grew  up  on  a  farm  and  pursued  the 
industry  throughout  his  adult  life.  He  married  Lucy  Adeline  Todd, 
of  Harwinton,  in  the  same  state,  and  removed  to  Illinois  in  1858, 
settling  on  a  farm  in  Williamson  county,  two  miles  south  of  where 
the  city  of  Cartersville  now  stands.  He  died  at  DuQuoin,  Illinois, 
March  1 3,  1 900,  at  the  age  of  eighty  years,  having  been  preceeded 
to  the  grave  by  his  wife  about  four  years  previously.  They  had  six 
children,  all  but  one  of  whom  was  born  before  the  departure  from 
the  East.  Of  these,  Elmonia,  Willian  Dwight,  John  Nelson  and 
Samuel  W.  are  dead.  The  living  children  are  Julius  Henry,  the 
second  born,  and  George  F.  M.,  who  was  the  fourth  child. 

George  F.  M.  Ward  was  born  in  Harwinton,  Connecticut, 
October  11,1 854,  and  was  consequently  four  years  old  when  his 
parents  came  to  Illinois.  As  a  boy  he  worked  on  his  father's  farm, 
attending  the  district  school  at  intervals  during  twelve  years,  until 
the  removal  of  his  parents  to  Carbondale,  Illinois,  where  he  was  a 
pupil  in  the  old  district  high  school.  In  1 873  he  entered  the  cloth- 
ing store  of  M.  Goldman  as  a  clerk,  but  in  May,  1875,  formed  a 
partnership  with  John  Hayden  and  put  into  operation  the  Carbon- 
dale  Marble  Works.  Having  an  opportunity  to  sell  out  at  a  good 
profit  and  wishing  to  finish  his  education,  he  disposed  of  his  interest 
and  entered  the  Southern  Illinois  University.  A  few  weeks  there- 
after, having  been  offered  a  position  and  being  anxious  to  better  his 
fortunes  he  left  school  to  engage  as  clerk  in  the  clothing  store  of 
Joseph  Solomon  at  DuQuoin,  Illinois.  Remaining  there  until  July 
1 ,  1 879,  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr.  Solomon  and  on  August 
1,  1879,  opened  a  clothing  store  at  Mount  Vernon,  Illinois,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Ward  &  Solomon.  In  June,  1883,  he  purchased  his 
partner's  interest  and  with  the  exception  of  having  a  partner  in  one 
of  the  departments  for  a  few  years  he  has  conducted  the  business 
alone,  adding  department  after  department  until  he  now  has  one  of 
the  largest  stores  in  Mount  Vernon. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO..   ILL.  517 

Incorporation  papers  were  filled  with  the  Secretary  of  State  in 
January,  1909,  incorporating  the  Mammoth  Shoe,  Clothing  and 
Dry  Goods  Company  as  a  corporation  to  carry  on  a  wholesale  and 
retail  dry  goods,  shoe  and  clothing  business.  G.  F.  M.  Ward  is 
president  of  the  company;  Will  T.  Forsythe  is  vice-president;  Isaac 
Vermillion,  second  vice-president,  and  Henry  Ben  Ward,  secretary 
and  treasurer.  This  was  made  necessary  owing  to  the  fact  that  the 
busineses  of  the  firm  had  grown  to  such  an  extent  that  it  was  no 
longer  possible  for  one  man  to  oversee  the  details  of  all  departments 
and  while  G.  F.  M.  Ward  will  still  be  at  the  head  of  the  business  as 
general  manager  the  details  of  the  special  departments  will  be  left  to 
the  new  members  of  the  firm,  each  of  whom  is  well  and  favorably 
known  throughout  the  country,  being  men  of  marked  business  ability 
in  their  chosen  lines  of  endeavor  as  well  as  men  of  high  integrity, 
and  under  their  management  this  popular  store  will  doubtless  con- 
tinue to  grow. 

Mr.  Ward  has  been  quite  prominent  in  his  adopted  city,  not 
only  as  a  merchant,  but  fraternally,  socially  and  in  politics.  For 
many  years  he  has  been  a  director  in  the  Mount  Vernon  Car  Manu- 
facturing Company.  He  has  laid  out  two  additions  and  two  sub- 
additions  to  the  city,  with  nineteen  others.  He  purchased  the  ground 
and  laid  out  Oakwood  cemetery  and  has  been  president  of  its  asso- 
ciation for  many  years.  This  cemetery  is  considered  the  best  kept 
of  any  in  all  Southern  Illinois,  every  dollar  received  from  the  sale  of 
lots  or  otherwise  being  spent  in  improving  and  beautifying  the 
grounds.  Mr.  Ward  was  largely  instrumental  in  obtaining  a  coal 
supply  for  the  city  and  was  secretary  of  the  Mount  Vernon  Coal 
Company  during  the  life  of  that  corporation.  He  has  always  taken 
an  active  interest  in  school  and  was  several  times  elected  president  of 
the  Board  of  Education.  He  has  twice  been  honored  with  the 
mayoralty  of  the  city.     His  term  in  this  office  extended  from  April, 


518  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL. 

1889,  to  April,  1901,  and  the  second  for  two  years  from  April, 
1903.  During  his  first  term  the  city  bought  the  Electric  Light  and 
Heating  Plant,  which  was  afterwards  sold  to  the  Citizens  Company. 
Mr.  Ward  also  served  as  Alderman  in  1885  and  altogether  has 
done  much  to  establish  his  claim  as  one  of  the  most  progressive  and 
public-spirited  of  Mount  Vernon's  citizens. 

June  2,  1880,  Mr.  Ward  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  Eliza- 
beth, daughter  of  Dr.  Benjamin  W.  and  Emeline  Pope,  of  Du- 
Quoin,  Illinois.  The  three  children  are  Dr.  Todd  Pope  Ward, 
born  February  16,  1881,  Mrs.  Leora  Pope  Ham,  born  September 
4,  1882,  and  Henry  Ben  Pope  Ward,  born  June  21,  1885. 


ANDY  HALL.  M.  D. 


The  well  known  physician  and  surgeon  to  a  brief  review  of 
whose  career  the  following  lines  are  devoted  has  attained  worthy 
distinction  in  the  line  of  his  calling  and  today  he  ranks  among  the 
eminent  members  of  his  profession,  not  only  in  the  field  to  which  the 
larger  part  of  his  practice  has  been  confined,  but  he  also  enjoys  a 
wide  reputation  throughout  the  state.  While  easily  the  peer  of  any 
of  his  professional  associates  in  the  general  practice,  he  stands  espe- 
cially high  in  surgery,  to  which  branch  of  the  profession  his  fame 
securely  rests. 

Dr.  Andy  Hall  is  a  native  of  Hamilton  county,  Illinois,  as  is 
also  his  father.  Col.  H.  W.  Hall,  the  latter  for  many  years  a  suc- 
cessful farmer,  but  now  living  a  retired  life  in  the  city  of  McLeans- 
boro.  Col.  H.  W.  Hall  served  through  the  Mexican  war  in  Gen- 
eral Taylor's  command,  took  part  in  all  the  battles  in  which  his  regi- 
ment was  engaged  and  at  the  expiration  of  his  period  of  enlistment 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  519 

retired  from  the  army  with  the  rank  of  quarter-master  sergeant.  At 
the  breaking  out  of  the  great  Rebellion  he  was  among  the  first  of 
the  patriotic  men  of  Hamilton  county  to  respond  to  the  call  for  vol- 
unteers and  in  that  dread  struggle  he  also  earned  an  honorable 
record  as  a  brave  and  gallant  soldier.  He  was  mustered  into  the 
army  as  captain  Company  A,  Fortieth  Regiment  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry,  and  at  the  close  of  the  war  was  mustered  out  as  lieutenant- 
colonel  of  his  regiment.  He  was  with  his  command  through  all  of 
its  varied  experiences  of  campaign  and  battle,  participating  in  many 
of  the  most  noted  engagements  of  the  war,  including  Fort  Donel- 
son,  Shiloh,  Corinth,  Vicksburg,  Jackson,  Mississippi;  Missionary 
Ridge  and  Kenesaw  Mountain,  the  various  engagements  around  At- 
lanta and  after  the  fall  of  that  stronghold  marched  with  Sherman  to 
the  sea,  thence  through  the  Carolinas  to  the  national  capital,  where 
he  took  part  in  the  Grand  Review,  the  closing  scene  of  one  of  the 
greatest  wars  of  which  history  has  made  record.  At  the  battle  of 
Missionary  Ridge  he  was  shot  through  the  arm  and  in  other  actions 
had  many  narrow  escapes  as  he  was  an  intrepid  soldier  and  ever 
ready  to  encounter  danger  while  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty.  At 
the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty-four,  he  is  now  spending  the  evening  of  a 
long  and  useful  life  in  comfort  and  content,  honored  and  esteemed 
by  all  who  know  him. 

John  Hall,  the  doctor's  grandfather,  was  a  Kentuckian  by 
birth,  and  among  the  early  pioneers  of  Hamilton  county.  He  too 
was  a  tiller  of  the  soil,  also  worked  for  a  number  of  years  at  the 
blacksmith  trade  and  became  one  of  the  most  respected  and  influen- 
tial citizens  of  the  community  in  which  he  lived.  He  died  at  a  ripe 
old  age,  but  his  memory  is  cherished  as  one  who  led  the  van  of  civil- 
ization into  what  is  now  among  the  most  progressive  and  prosperous 
sections  of  Illinois.  The  maiden  name  of  the  doctor's  mother  was 
Julia  McLean.  She  was  born  in  Franklm  county,  Illinois,  where  her 


520  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

father  settled  many  years  ago.  moving  from  his  native  state  of  Ohio. 
Mrs.  Hall,  who  is  of  Scotch  descent,  is  still  living  and  hand  in  hand 
with  her  aged  husband  is  moving  onward  toward  the  twilight  of  the 
journey's  end,  honored  and  esteemed  by  a  large  circle  of  friends. 

Col.  H.  W.  and  Julia  (McLean)  Hall  are  the  parents  of  nine 
children,  six  of  whom  are  living,  namely:  John  C,  a  practicing  at- 
torney, of  McLeansboro;  C.  M.  Hall,  a  farmer,  of  Dahlgren,  Illi- 
nois; Mrs.  R.  M.  Knight,  of  Hamilton  county,  Illinois;  Dr.  W.  W. 
Hall,  of  McLeansboro;  Mrs.  John  Norris,  also  of  that  city,  and  the 
subject  of  this  review.  The  deceased  members  of  the  family  were 
Dr.  W.  F.,  Maggie,  and  James  P.  Hall,  all  of  whom  grew  to  ma- 
turity, the  first  named  becoming  a  successful  physician  and  highly 
esteemed  in  his  profession. 

Dr.  Andy  Hall,  whose  birth  occurred  on  January  10,  1865, 
was  reared  on  a  farm  south  of  McLeansboro,  and  until  seventeen 
years  of  age  lived  at  home  and  assisted  his  father  in  varied  duties  of 
agriculture.  After  attending  the  country  schools  and  the  schools  of 
McLeansboro  until  about  eighteen  years  old  he  taught  one  year 
and  then  took  a  literary  course  in  the  Northern  Illinois  Normal 
School  at  Dixon.  In  1 887  he  entered  the  medical  department  of  the 
Northwestern  University,  Chicago,  where  he  prosecuted  his  studies 
until  1890,  in  April  of  which  year  he  was  graduated  with  an  hon- 
orable record,  and  the  following  June  entered  upon  the  practice  of 
his  profession  at  Mount  Vernon,  where  in  due  time  he  gained  recog- 
nition and  his  proportionate  share  of  patronage.  At  the  breaking  out 
of  the  Spanish- American  war  he  was  appointed  surgeon  of  the  Ninth 
Illinois  Infantry,  with  which  he  served  with  the  rank  of  major  and 
surgeon  until  the  cessation  of  hostilities.  While  with  the  army  he 
was  stationed  for  a  time  at  Springfield,  Illinois,  and  Jacksonville, 
Florida,  later  at  Savannah,  Georgia,  thence  was  transferred  to  Ha- 
vanna,  Cuba,  where  he  remained  four  months,  during  which  period 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO..   ILL.  521 

his  duties  were  very  arduous  and  his  success  gratifying.  He  was 
mustered  out  of  the  service  at  Augusta,  Georgia,  and  returning  to 
Mount  Vernon,  resumed  the  practice  of  his  profession,  but  at  the 
expiration  of  five  weeks  closed  his  office  and  again  joined  the  army 
and  was  sent  to  the  Philippine  Islands  as  a  surgeon. 

Doctor  Hall  achieved  high  distinction  as  a  surgeon  in  that  far- 
off  part  of  the  world  and  performed  many  of  the  most  difficult  oper- 
ations known  to  the  profession,  besides  meetmg  with  signal  success 
in  the  treatment  of  diseases,  not  a  few  of  which  were  peculiar  to  the 
trophical  climate  and  difficult  to  combat.  During  his  stay  of  a  lit- 
tle more  than  a  year  he  was  stationed  at  San  Isidro,  Florida  Blanca, 
Baler,  Nova  Liches  and  Mangatarem,  serving  in  Funston's  Brigade, 
Lawton's  Division,  and  experienced  many  of  the  vicissitudes  incident 
to  military  life  in  the  tropics. 

While  serving  as  surgeon  of  the  post  at  Baler  he  became  a 
member  of  a  scouting  party  which  was  scouring  the  forests  for  Fili- 
pinos. The  doctor  became  separated  from  the  balance  of  his 
party  and  while  alone  and  unarmed  with  the  exception  of  a  revolver 
suddenly  came  upon  a  Filipino  soldier  armed  with  a  Mauser 
rifle,  who  was  standing  guard  over  two  priests  of  the  Franciscan 
Brotherhood.  The  doctor  got  the  drop  on  the  Filipino  and 
liberated  the  priests,  who  told  him  that  they  had  been  prisoners  for 
more  than  a  year.  Their  names  were  Juan  Lopez  and  Felix 
Minaya. 

Returning  home  via  Japan  and  the  Hawaiian  Islands  in  the 
year  1900  the  doctor  reopened  his  office  at  Mount  Vernon  and  it 
was  not  long  until  he  was  again  at  the  head  of  an  extensive  and  lu- 
crative professional  business,  his  ability  as  a  surgeon  and  the  prestige 
of  his  military  service  gaining  for  him  a  practice  second  to  that  of 
none  of  his  compeers. 

Sufficient  has  been  stated  to  afford  the  reader  an  intelligent 


522  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

idea  of  Doctor  Hall's  eminent  standing  in  the  noble  calling  to  which 
his  life  and  energies  are  being  devoted  and  it  goes  without  the  say- 
ing that  he  is  now  the  peer  of  any  of  his  professional  brethren  as  a 
family  physician,  bringing  into  exercise  all  the  gentleness,  sympathy 
and  moral  rectitude  required  in  such  a  nature.  In  the  domain  of 
surgery  his  success  has  gained  for  him  almost  a  state  wide  reputation, 
as  he  is  frequently  called  long  distances  to  perform  operations  re- 
quiring a  high  degree  of  proficiency  and  skill  and  it  is  not  extrava- 
gant praise  to  say  that  in  his  special  line  of  practice  he  has  few  rivals 
and  no  superiors  in  the  southern  part  of  Illinois. 

Among  the  most  difficult  and  delicate  of  his  professional  work 
in  Mount  Vernon  was  the  first  successful  ovariotomy  operation,  and 
the  first  successful  operation  for  an  intussusception  ever  performed 
in  this  part  of  the  state,  also  the  first  successful  removal  of  cataract 
by  a  local  surgeon,  besides  a  number  of  other  operations  calling  for 
the  highest  order  of  surgical  talent. 

Although  devoted  to  his  profession  and  making  it  paramount 
to  every  other  consideration,  Doctor  Hall  has  not  been  unmindful  of 
his  obligations  to  the  community  nor  of  the  duties  of  citizenship.  He 
takes  an  active  interest  in  public  affairs  and  for  some  years  has  been 
a  recognized  leader  of  the  Republican  party  in  Mount  Vernon,  hav- 
ing been  elected  Mayor  of  the  city  in  1 897,  but  resigned  the  position 
the  year  following  to  enter  the  army.  At  this  time  he  is  a  director 
of  the  Jefferson  State  Bank,  a  member  of  the  City  Library  Board 
and  a  member  of  the  local  board  of  United  States  Pension  Examin- 
ing Surgeons,  besides  being  identified  with  various  other  interests  of 
more  or  less  importance.  Like  the  majority  of  enterprising  public- 
spirited  men,  the  doctor  is  an  ardent  Mason  and  stands  high  in  the 
order,  being  a  leading  member  of  the  Blue  Lodge  and  influential  in 
other  branches,  including  the  Chapter  and  Commandery  degrees. 
Professionally  he  is  identified  with  a  number  of  medical  societies  and 


;  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  523 

associations,  among  which  are  the  Jefferson  County  Medical  Asso- 
ciation, the  Southern  IHinois  Medical  Association,  Illinois  State 
Medical  Association  and  the  American  Medical  Association,  with 
all  of  which  he  keeps  in  close  touch  and  in  the  deliberations  of  the 
first  two  ecpecially,  he  takes  an  active  and  prominent  part. 

The  married  life  of  Doctor  Hall  dates  from  January  1 ,  1892, 
at  which  time  he  chose  a  wife  and  helpmeet  in  the  person  of  Miss 
Anna  L.  Glazebrook,  daughter  of  Joseph  Glazebrook,  a  native  of 
Kentucky,  but  long  a  resident  of  Jefferson  county.  This  union  has 
been  blessed  with  three  children,  Marshall  W.,  born  August  17, 
1895;  Andy,  Jr.,  bom  April  14,  1898.  and  Wilford,  who  first  saw 
the  light  of  day  August  1 2,  1 904.  Doctor  and  Mrs.  Hall  have  a 
very  interesting  family  and  with  their  children  form  a  well-nigh  ideal 
home  circle.  They  belong  to  the  Baptist  church  of  Mount  Ver- 
non and  are  interested  in  all  lines  of  religious  work,  and  in  the  be- 
nevolent enterprises  of  the  city.  Their  names  are  also  well  known 
in  the  best  society  circles  of  the  community. 


JOHN  TIPTON. 


This  successful  farmer  and  influential  citizen  comes  from  Revo- 
lutionary ancestry  and  is  worthy  of  special  notice  among  the  leading 
men  of  Jefferson  county.  He  is  a  man  of  high  character,  a  kind 
neighor,  and  a  public-spirited  citizen,  and  his  influence  has  always 
been  on  the  side  of  civic  righteousness  and  a  strict  enforcement  of 
the  laws  of  the  land. 

John  Tipton  was  born  in  Eastern  Tennessee,  in  1838.  His 
paternal  great-grandfather,  William  Tipton,  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Revolutionary  war,  and  rendered  valuable  service  to  the  infant  Re- 


524  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co„  ill. 

public  as  a  member  of  the  Continental  army.  He  not  only  endured 
the  privations  incident  to  that  memorable  struggle,  but  suffered  the 
loss  of  an  eye  and  an  arm  on  the  field  of  battle.  Yet  he  counted 
this  as  nothing  compared  to  the  gains  won  for  posterity  in  the  form 
of  greater  liberties  and  individual  freedom. 

The  children  of  William  Tipton  emigrated  to  Tennessee, 
where  Grandfather  Tipton  ended  his  days,  having  reached  quite  an 
advanced  age,  as  did  also  his  companion,  who  was  the  mother  of 
four  children.  One  of  these  four  was  Isaac  Tipton,  father  of  our 
subject.  He  followed  farming  in  Eastern  Tennessee,  and  ended 
his  days  in  that  locality.  His  first  wife  became  the  mother  of  six 
children.  He  was  married  a  second  time  and  several  children  were 
born  to  this  union  also.  Our  subject,  John  Tipton,  was  reared  on 
the  farm,  growing  up  to  manhood  among  the  surroundings  that  have 
developed  the  strong  traits  that  have  marked  him  as  a  man. 

When  twenty-two  years  of  age  he  came  to  Jefferson  county, 
Illinois,  and  engaged  in  farm  labor  for  about  one  year.  At  this  time 
the  Rebellion  came  into  full  swing  and  Mr.  Tipton  answered  to  the 
call  of  the  President  for  troops  as  did  also  his  oldest  brother,  Jacob 
Tipton.  Our  subject  enlisted  in  Company  I  of  the  Forty-fourth 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry  and  was  soon  in  active  service.  The  an- 
cestral patriotic  fire  had  not  been  lost,  and  he  continued  at  the  front 
for  over  four  years,  participating  in  such  conflicts  as  that  of  Pea 
Ridge,  Perryville,  Chickamaugua,  Murfreesboro  and  Missionary 
Ridge.  Later  he  was  at  the  battles  of  Knoxville  and  Nashville. 
His  company  was  then  transferred  to  Texas,  where  Mr.  Tipton  re- 
mained until  mustered  out.  He  then  returned  to  Jefferson  county 
and  has  resided  here  ever  since.  He  has  devoted  himself  to  farm- 
ing and  has  made  a  success  of  his  work.  His  farm  of  two  hundred 
acres  is  one  of  the  best  in  the  county,  and  is  adorned  with  about 
seventy  acres  of  valuable  timber.     He  has  an  excellent  residence. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  525 

a  good  barn,  and  all  necessary  improvements.  Mr.  Tipton  is  thor- 
oughly familiar  with  the  needs  of  the  soil  and  manages  the  rotation 
of  crops  to  a  good  advantage. 

His  domestic  life  began  in  1 867,  when  he  was  joined  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Anna  Bates,  a  native  of  Kentucky.  She  became  the 
mother  of  four  children,  only  two  of  whom  are  now  living,  and 
passed  to  her  reward  on  January  20,  1878.  She  was  a  worthy 
mother  and  companion,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church. 

Later  Mr.  Tipton  took  as  his  second  wife  Miss  Mary  Ann 
Preslar,  who  was  bom  in  North  Carolina.  Two  children  have  been 
born  of  this  union,  both  of  whom  are  living.  She  is  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  church  to  which  she  is  loyally  devoted. 

Mr.  Tipton  affiliates  with  the  Republican  party,  and  takes  an 
active  interest  in  local  as  well  as  state  and  national  affairs.  He  is 
energetic  and  progressive  and  is  worthy  of  the  high  degree  of  respect 
and  esteem  in  which  he  is  held. 


R.  K.  WEBER. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  occupies  a  prominent  place  among 
the  representative  men  of  Mount  Vernon  and  his  career,  which  thus 
far  has  been  one  of  great  activity  and  usefulness,  presents  a  striking 
illustration  of  what  can  be  accomplished  by  a  young  man  of  char- 
acter and  energy,  when  directed  and  controlled  by  principles  of  in- 
tegrity and  honor.  His  rise  from  the  humble  position  of  a  country 
pedagogue  to  the  honorable  station  he  now  holds  with  one  of  the 
leading  industrial  establishments  of  Southern  Illinois,  indicates  a 
worthy  ambition  and  abilities  of  a  high  order  and  in  view  of  his  con- 
tinuous advancement  and  his  present  influence  in  the  world  of  affairs. 


526  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

his  many  friends  are  justified  in  the  prediction  that  he  is  destined 
to  fill  a  still  larger  place  in  business  circles  than  the  one  he  now 
holds. 

R.  K.  Weber,  vice-president  of  the  Mount  Vernon  Car  Manu- 
facturing Company,  is  a  native  of  Illinois  and  dates  his  birth  from 
the  13th  of  September,  1870,  having  first  seen  the  light  of  day  in 
the  town  of  Fairweather,  Adams  county.  John  Weber,  his  father, 
who  was  also  born  and  reared  in  the  same  county,  was  in  early  life 
a  farmer  but  later  engaged  in  merchandising  at  Barry,  Pike  county, 
where  he  still  resides,  holding  at  this  time  the  position  of  cashier  in 
the  State  Bank  of  that  place.  The  Weber  family  is  of  German  ori- 
gin and  its  first  representation  in  the  United  States  was  John  Weber, 
the  subject's  grandfather,  a  native  of  one  of  the  Rhine  Province  and 
by  occupation  a  tiller  of  the  soil.  He  came  to  this  country  when  a 
young  man  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days  in  Adams  county, 
Illinois,  where  his  death  occurred  a  number  of  years  ago. 

Before  her  marriage  the  subject's  mother  was  a  Miss  Rose  Per- 
kins, a  native  of  Adams  county,  and  a  lady  of  many  estimable  traits. 
Her  people  came  from  England  in  Colonial  times  and  at  the  break- 
ing out  of  the  war  of  the  Revolution  several  of  her  ancestors  entered 
the  American  army  and  rendered  valiant  service  in  the  cause  of  In- 
dependence. Her  father,  who  is  still  living,  is  a  business  man  and 
for  some  years  has  been  engaged  in  banking  in  David  City,  Ne- 
braska. 

John  and  Rose  Weber  are  the  parents  of  four  children,  name- 
ly: H.  P.,  a  lawyer,  of  Chicago;  Jeanette,  wife  of  L.  E.  Crandall, 
of  Aurora,  Illinois;  R.  K.,  subject  of  this  review,  and  Cora,  who 
died  in  1 898,  when  eighteen  years  of  age. 

R.  K.  Weber  spent  his  childhood  and  youth  at  Barry  and  after 
receiving  a  preliminary  education  in  the  public  schools  of  that  town, 
entered  the  State  Normal  School  at  Normal,  Illinois,  which  he  at- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  527 

tended  three  years  with  a  creditable  record.  Completing  his  studies 
in  that  institution  he  devoted  the  following  year  to  teaching  in  a  coun- 
try school  district  of  Adams  county,  and  then  took  a  course  in  a  com- 
mercial college  at  Springfield  with  the  object  in  view  of  fitting  him- 
self for  a  business  career.  Leaving  the  latter  institution  with  a  mind 
well  disciplined  by  intellectual  and  professional  training,  Mr.  Weber 
in  1 890  came  to  Mount  Vernon  and  accepted  a  clerkship  in  the  gen- 
eral office  of  the  Mount  Vernon  Car  Manufacturing  Company  in 
which  capacity  he  served  until  the  reorganization  of  the  company 
some  years  later,  when  he  was  made  secretary,  his  promotion  to  that 
important  position  being  by  the  unanimous  vote  of  the  board  of  di- 
rectors. His  services  as  secretary  proving  eminently  satisfactory  to 
the  management  of  the  enterprise  as  well  as  highly  creditable  to  him- 
self, he  retained  the  place  until  1 908,  when  he  was  further  honored 
by  being  elected  vice-president,  succeeding  W.  C.  Arthurs,  who,  in 
June  of  that  year,  was  elected  to  the  presidency  which  office  he  still 
holds.  Since  becoming  identified  with  the  Mount  Vernon  Car 
Manufacturing  Company  Mr.  Weber  has  labored  earnestly  for  its 
success  and  making  his  employers'  interests  his  own,  his  services  have 
been  eminently  creditable  and  satisfactory,  contributing  much  to  the 
growth  of  the  business  and  to  the  honorable  reputation  which  the 
company  enjoys  among  the  leading  industrial  establishments  of  the 
state.  He  has  been  devoted  to  the  duties  of  his  office  and  in  the  dis- 
charge of  the  same  has  demonstrated  a  high  order  of  ability  as  an 
executive  and  rare  judgment  and  foresight  in  his  relations  with  the 
patrons  of  the  company  and  in  extending  the  range  of  its  influence. 
While  ever  manifesting  an  intense  interest  in  the  growth  and  success 
of  the  enterprise  with  which  he  is  officially  connected  he  has  not 
been  negligent  in  matters  relating  to  the  prosperity  of  the  community 
or  in  the  duties  of  citizenship,  being  in  touch  with  everything  calcu- 
lated to  benefit  the  city  of  his  residence  and  abreast  of  the  times  on 
questions  and  issues  concerning  which  men  and  parties  divide. 


528  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

Mr.  Weber  is  an  earnest  advocate  of  the  principles  of  the  Re- 
pubhcan  party,  and  an  active  worker  and  judicious  adviser  in  its 
ranks  and  councils  and  though  not  a  partisan  in  the  sense  of  seeking 
office  he  has  been  honored  from  time  to  time  with  important  local 
positions,  having  represented  his  ward  in  the  Common  Council  of 
Mount  Vernon  and  served  the  city  very  efficiently  as  treasurer.  In 
addition  to  his  connection  with  the  large  industrial  establishment 
previously  mentioned  he  has  other  interests  of  a  business  nature  in  the 
city,  including  the  Mount  Vernon  Jewelry  Company,  of  which  he 
is  vice-president.  Mr.  Weber  also  has  a  vital  interest  in  the  social 
life  of  Mount  Vernon  and  in  various  ways  has  labored  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  his  fellow  men,  being  an  active  and  influential  member 
of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  through  the  med- 
ium of  which  excellent  organization  much  good  has  been  accom- 
plished for  the  poor  and  indigent  of  the  city  to  say  nothing  of  the 
splendid  fraternal  spirit  which  prevails  among  the  membership. 

He  is  also  identified  with  the  Pythian  Brotherhood,  in  which 
he  has  held  important  official  positions  at  intervals,  while  worthy 
charitable  and  humanitarian  enterprises,  regardless  of  order  or  desig- 
nation enlist  his  sympathy  and  support. 

The  domestic  life  of  Mr.  Weber  began  in  1893,  when  he  was 
united  in  the  bonds  of  wedlock  with  Miss  Iva  Hill,  daughter  of 
Sanford  Hill,  one  of  the  well  known  and  highly  esteemed  citizens 
of  Jefferson  county.  Mrs.  Weber  was  born  and  reared  in  this  coun- 
ty, received  a  good  education  in  the  public  schools  and  is  a  lady  of 
estimable  character  and  sterling  worth,  whose  friends  in  the  social 
circles  of  Mount  Vernon  are  as  the  number  of  her  acquaintances. 
Two  daughters  bless  and  grace  the  Weber  home,  in  whom  are  cen- 
tered many  fond  hopes  and  bright  anticipations,  their  names  being 
Rose  Mildred  and  Bernadine.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Weber  reside  at  712 
East  North  street. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  529 

GEORGE  W.  HIGHSMITH. 

Among  the  men  of  Jefferson  county  who  have  risen  to  high 
standing  and  demonstrated  ability  to  fill  worthy  positions  of  honor 
and  trust  is  the  well  known  gentleman  and  capable  official  of  whom 
the  biographer  writes  in  this  connection.  George  W.  Highsmith, 
Clerk  of  Jefferson  county,  is  a  native  of  Illinois  and  the  son  of  Lewis 
and  Frances  Highsmith,  the  former  a  native  of  Crawford  county, 
Illinois,  and  the  latter  born  in  Kentucky,  but  early  settlers  of  Craw- 
ford county,  Illinois,  where  the  mother  died  when  the  subject  was  a 
child  about  six  years  old.  Thirty-two  years  ago  the  father  moved 
to  Jefferson  county  where  he  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  and 
where  he  still  resides,  having  reached  a  ripe  old  age  and  being  well 
situated  as  far  as  natural  comforts  are  concerned.  At  the  breaking 
out  of  the  great  Civil  war,  he  enlisted  in  the  Forty-seventh  Illinois 
Infantry  and  with  which  he  served  until  the  downfall  of  the  Rebel- 
lion, participating  in  the  seige  of  Vicksburg  and  all  the  other  notable 
battles  in  which  his  regiment  was  engaged,  earning  an  honorable 
record  as  a  soldier  and  later  becoming  widely  known  as  an  enter- 
prising and  praiseworthy  citizen. 

Lewis  and  Frances  Highsmith  were  the  parents  of  four  chil- 
dren, two  of  whom  died  in  infancy,  Mrs.  Belle  Collins,  George  W., 
and  their  father  being  the  surviving  members  of  the  first  family.  By 
a  subsequent  marriage  with  Emma  Painter  Mr.  Highsmith  became 
the  father  of  three  children,  all  deceased  and  still  later  he  took  a 
third  wife  in  the  person  of  Julia  Williams,  who  bore  him  the  fol- 
lowing children:  Samuel  C,  of  Chicago;  Albert  C,  deputy  County 
Clerk;  Mrs.  Laura  J.  Reece,  of  Jefferson  county;  Walter  Clark, 
of  Mount  Vernon ;  Lewis  Carl,  of  the  same  place ;  Anna  Florence, 
Harlin  Curtis  and  Julia  E.,  the  last  three  still  with  their  parents. 

William  Highsmith,  the  subject's  grandfather,  was  a  Kentuck- 

34 


•>:'?; 


530  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

ian  by  birth,  but  as  long  ago  as  1 825  migrated  to  Crawford  county, 
Illinois,  of  which  he  was  a  very  early  settler.  He  became  a  man  of 
considerable  local  prominence,  represented  the  above  county  in  the 
eighth  General  Assembly  and  sent  as  captain  in  the  Black  Hawk 
war.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  character  and  great  personal  influ- 
ence, did  much  to  promote  the  material  development  of  the  part  of 
the  county  in  which  he  settled  and  departed  this  life  about  the  year 
1872,  honored  and  respected  by  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  ac- 
quaintances. 

George  W.  Highsmith  was  born  January  9,  1862,  in  Craw- 
ford county,  Illinois,  and  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years  accompanied 
his  father  to  the  county  of  Jefferson,  where  he  has  since  lived  and 
with  the  history  of  which  his  life  since  1872  has  been  very  closely 
interwoven.  After  a  preliminary  educational  training  in  the  public 
schools  he  became  a  student  at  Ewing  College,  where  he  prosecuted 
his  studies  until  completing  the  prescribed  course,  after  which  he 
turned  his  attention  to  teaching,  a  profession  for  which  his  tastes  and 
talents  were  peculiarly  fitted.  Mr.  Highsmith  taught  for  twenty- 
one  consecutive  years  in  the  schools  of  Jefferson  county,  during  which 
time  he  achieved  an  enviable  reputation  as  a  capable  and  painstak- 
ing instructor,  his  long  retention  in  the  same  district  attesting  the  high 
esteem  in  which  he  was  held  by  pupils  and  patrons.  Meantime  he 
devoted  his  vacations  to  farming,  in  which  he  has  always  been  inter- 
ested and  gained  as  high  repute  tilling  the  soil  as  he  did  in  teaching 
the  young. 

Mr.  Highsmith  served  his  township  as  Justice  of  the  Peace 
and  filled  the  office  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  who  had  business  to 
transact  in  his  court,  his  rulings  being  eminently  fair  and  his  decisions 
impartial.  He  was  also  Collector  for  %ome  years  and  subsequendy 
was  elected  Supervisor,  discharging  the  duties  of  both  positions  with 
credit  to  himself  and  the  public  and  gaining  the  good  will  of  the 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  531 

people  irrespective  of  party  ties.  A  Republican  in  the  most  liberal 
meaning  of  the  term  and  an  active  and  influential  political  worker, 
he  rose  in  time  to  the  leadership  of  the  party  in  his  township  besides 
becoming  quite  prominent  in  the  county  and  state  affairs.  In  1 904 
when  his  party  cast  about  for  an  available  candidate  for  the  office  of 
Circuit  Clerk,  the  choice  fell  to  him  and  after  his  nomination  he 
entered  manfully  into  the  campaign,  leading  as  many  supposed  a 
forlorn  hope  by  reason  of  the  formidable  Democratic  majority,  but 
determining  to  weaken  the  opposition  if  it  could  be  accomplished  by 
hard  work  and  honorable  means.  When  the  votes  were  finally 
counted,  he  was  found  to  have  defeated  his  opponent  by  a  decisive 
majority,  being  the  first  Republican  ever  elected  to  the  clerkship, 
a  unique  distinction  of  which  he  has  every  reason  to  be  proud. 

Mr.  Highsmith's  election  to  the  position  he  now  holds  was  a 
just  tribute  to  a  very  worthy  and  honorable  man  and  the  capable 
manner  in  which  he  has  conducted  the  office  has  fully  met  with  the 
high  expectation  of  his  friends  and  fellow  citizens  of  all  parties  and 
all  shades  of  opinions.  In  1908  he  was  re-nominated  and  after  a 
hard-fought  battle  he  was  defeated  by  a  very  small  majority. 

On  September  21,  1888,  Mr.  Highsmith  and  Miss  Mattie 
Hayes,  daughter  of  Gilbert  W.  Hayes,  of  Spring  Garden  town- 
ship, were  united  in  the  holy  bonds  of  wedlock,  the  marriage  being 
blessed  with  eight  children,  whose  names  and  dates  of  birth  are 
as  follows :  Claudie  Eugene,  August  1 ,  1 889,  died  on  the  6th  day 
of  August,  1901  ;  Loretta  Belle,  November  7,  1892;  Lula  May. 
September  23,  1895;  Nora  Gertrude,  April  14,  1898;  Alva  Lloyd, 
July  3,  1901  ;  Almena,  January  12,  1904,  died  October  20th  of  the 
same  year;  Sarah  Aline,  February  6,  1906;  the  youngest,  William, 
born  September  4,  1 908. 

Mr.  Highsmith  belongs  to  the  Modern  Woodmen  and  in  re- 
ligion subscribes  to  the  Methodist  faith,  himself  and  wife  being  re- 


532  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

spected  communicants  of  that  church  and  aHve  to  every  good  work 
under  the  auspices  of  the  local  congregation  with  which  they  are 
identified.  Since  becoming  a  resident  of  Mount  Vernon  he  has  shown 
commendable  interest  to  all  enterprises  and  mecisure  which  tend  to 
the  advancement  of  the  city  and  on  the  leading  questions  and  issues 
of  the  day  he  is  widely  informed  and  in  no  small  degree  a  leader  of 
thought  among  his  fellow  men.  A  reader,  a  thinker  and  a  close 
and  intelligent  observer  of  current  events,  he  has  proud  and  liberal 
ideas  and  his  opinions  always  carry  weight  and  command  respect. 
He  is  deservedly  popular  throughout  the  county,  possessing  the 
power  and  tact  to  win  and  retain  strong  friendships. 


W.  S.  CHANEY. 


In  the  fabric  of  some  lives  are  woven  many  varied  and  useful 
experiences  and  these  often  result  in  a  broad  conception  of  one's 
duties  to  his  fellow  men  and  his  obligations  as  a  citizen  of  one  of  the 
grandest  and  greatest  republics  of  the  world.  Not  only  do  these 
results  accrue  to  the  individual  but  his  sympathies  are  broadened 
and  deepened  and  his  viewpoint  is  often  fixed  to  a  much  better  ad- 
vantage for  himself  and  for  others  by  a  proper  perspective  of  his  re- 
lations in  life. 

In  the  case  of  the  subject  of  this  review,  W.  S.  Chaney,  of 
Belle  Rive,  Illinois,  we  have  an  illustration  of  the  type  of  man  in- 
dicated above.  Mr.  Chaney  has  come  to  advanced  years  over  a 
pathway  that  has  led  him  into  numerous  situations,  filled  at  times 
with  cheerful  prospects  and  covered  at  other  times  with  shades  and 
shadows  of  lowering  clouds,  or  darkening  skies.  Out  of  it  all  he 
has  come  to  see  and  to  know  that  the  web  of  life  has  in  its  warp  and 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  533 

woof  something  of  sunshine  and  something  of  shadow,  all  of  which 
has  blended  into  one  harmonious  whole. 

W.  S.  Chaney  was  bom  in  East  Tennessee  in  1838  and  was 
the  son  of  William  and  Betty  Ann  (Stubblefield)  Chaney,  also 
natives  of  Tennessee.  He  was  one  of  nine  children,  all  of  whom 
reached  their  majority.  His  paternal  ancestors  were  of  Irish  descent, 
his  grandfather  being  a  native  of  Virginia,  coming  later  to  Tennes- 
see, he  became  an  extensive  land  owner,  having  owned  the  land 
where  Morristown  now  stands.  He  reached  the  age  of  eighty  years 
as  did  also  his  companion  in  life.  They  were  the  parents  of  twelve 
children,  all  of  whom  lived  to  maturity. 

Mr.  Chaney  received  a  common  school  education  and  was 
reared  on  the  farm,  where  he  remained  until  1861 .  He  cast  his  first 
Presidential  vote  for  John  Bell.  At  this  time  he  emigrated  to  Illi- 
nois, making  the  trip  with  wagon  and  their  one  child.  They  settled 
in  Montgomery  county,  but  one  year  later  removed  to  Jefferson 
county,  where  they  have  since  made  their  home. 

In  1 864  our  subject  enlisted  in  the  Ninth  Tennessee  Cavalry 
at  Gallatin,  Tennessee,  and  began  his  career  as  a  soldier  in  the  guer- 
illa warfare  of  Eastern  Tennessee.  He  was  involved  in  several  en- 
gagements with  Morgan,  the  famous  raider,  and  was  present  at  the 
battle  of  Greenville,  where  the  Confederates  lost  one  of  their  good 
generals.  He  was  mustered  out  in  September,  1865,  and  returned 
to  Illinois,  entering  the  mercantile  business,  at  which  he  continued 
for  about  twenty-five  years.  He  then  turned  his  attention  to  his 
farm  on  the  outskirts  of  Belle  Rive,  and  over  which  he  exercises  di- 
rect supervision,  although  he  continues  his  residence  in  town. 

Mr.  Chaney 's  first  marriage  was  in  Tennessee,  in  1859,  to 
Miss  Nancy  E.  Witt.  She  departed  this  life  in  1862,  having  be- 
come the  mother  of  two  children,  both  of  whom  are  dead.  In  1 863 
Mr.  Chaney  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  M.  Vaughn,  of  Jefferson 


534  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co..  ill. 

county,  Illinois.  Twelve  children  were  born  to  this  union,  six  of 
whom  survive,  they  are:  AUie,  wife  of  T.  D.  Summers;  Lena,  wife 
of  Orly  Waters;  Nellie,  wife  of  E.  E.  Karn;  Harry  W.,  William 
F.  and  Raymond  H. 

The  mother  of  these  children  departed  this  life  on  February 
16,  1908.  Later  Mr.  Chaney  took  as  his  third  wife  Mrs.  Florida 
L.  Stevens,  an  estimable  Christian  lady  and  a  member  of  the  Bap- 
tist denomination. 

Mr.  Chaney  is  a  Republican,  and  takes  an  active  interest  in 

the  affairs  pertaining  to  the  prosperity  and  progress  of  the  com- 

* 
munity. 


WILLIAM  C.  REECE. 

Perhaps  no  other  resident  in  Shiloh  township,  Jefferson  coun- 
ty, is  more  familiar  with  the  local  official  affairs  than  the  subject  of 
the  present  review,  William  C.  Reece,  who  was  born  in  the  town- 
ship on  the  20th  of  October,  1866.  His  father,  Baily  P.  Reece, 
was  a  native  of  Tennessee,  having  come  to  Jefferson  county  in  an 
early  day,  and  devoted  the  major  portion  of  his  time  to  farming. 
He  attained  the  age  of  sixty-four  years  and  was  a  resident  of  Shiloh 
township  at  the  time  of  his  death.  The  mother  of  the  subject,  Re- 
becca (Bullock)  Reece,  was  bom  in  Jefferson  county,  and  was  the 
daughter  of  David  Bullock,  also  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  county. 
She  was  the  mother  of  three  children,  viz.,  Cora  B.,  wife  of  Jefferson 
Thomas;  William  C,  our  subject,  and  Anna  M.,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  thirteen  years. 

William  was  reared  in  Shiloh  township,  and  has  spent  almost 
all  of  his  life  within  its  borders.  He  received  such  education  as 
was  offered  by  the  common  schools  of  the  district,  together  with 
the  training  in  self-reliance  and  habits  of  industry  that  his  parents 


wall's   history  of   JEFFERSON   CO.,    ILL.  535 

tried  to  inculcate  within  him  as  he  grew  to  maturity.  For  three  years 
William  was  employed  as  fireman  by  the  Iron  Mountain  Railroad 
Company,  but  he  finally  decided  to  abandon  that  work,  and  returned 
to  the  township  of  his  birth.  He  became  engaged  in  mercantile 
business,  and  has  occupied  several  locations  in  various  parts  of  the 
county.  He  has  met  with  success  in  all  of  his  ventures  and  has  been 
fortunate  in  his  business  enterprises.  He  did  not  devote  himself  ex- 
clusively to  business,  however,  and  took  up  farming  during  several 
intervening  periods.  As  opportunity  presented  itself,  he  took  ad- 
vantage of  trade  offers,  and  in  this  way  acquired  not  only  financial 
gains,  but  also  helpful  experience,  and  formed  a  wider  circle  of 
friends  and  acquaintances.  He  now  owns  a  productive  and  well 
kept  farm  in  Shiloh  township. 

On  the  3d  of  November,  1889,  Mr.  Reece  was  married  to 
Miss  Mary  Thomas,  daughter  of  L.  H.  and  Martha  Thomas, 
who  were  the  parents  of  three  children,  of  whom  Mrs.  Reece  was 
second  in  order  of  birth. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reece  are  the  parents  of  four  children,  as  fol- 
lows: William  J.  B.,  Ruby  F.,  Flossie  M.  and  Mary  Blanche.  Mr. 
Reece  has  been  called  upon  at  various  times  to  serve  the  people  in 
an  official  capacity.  He  has  held  the  office  of  Supervisor  of  the 
township  and  has  been  chosen  Constable  and  School  Director  for 
several  terms.  His  interest  in  township  affairs  has  been  an  inspira- 
tion to  the  citizens  of  the  vicinity,  and  has  resulted  in  the  improve- 
ment of  the  tone  of  society  in  general.  His  affiliations  have  been 
with  the  Democratic  party,  but  the  question  of  justice  and  a  fair 
deal  are  two  elements  that  are  always  to  be  found  in  his  analysis  of 
duty.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Tribe  of  Ben  Hur,  and  has  had  much 
influence  in  promoting  the  welfare  of  that  order  in  this  neighbor- 
hood. He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, Woodlawn  Lodge,  No.  522. 


536  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co„  ill.  ; 

HON.  JAMES  H.  WATSON. 

Space  will  permit  scarcely  more  than  a  recapitulation  of  the 
various  interesting  topics  met  with  in  preparing  the  biography  of 
Hon.  James  H.  Watson,  but  we  shall  endeavor  to  give  our  subject 
the  fullest  possible  justice. 

Mr.  Watson  was  born  near  Mount  Vernon,  Jefferson  county, 
Illinois,  on  the  31st  of  July,  1846.  His  father,  John  H.  Watson, 
a  native  of  Henrico  county,  Virginia,  was  one  of  the  pioneer  set- 
tlers in  the  county.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and  for  many 
years  served  as  Justice  of  tht  Peace  in  Mount  Vernon  and  also  as 
Master  in  Chancery,  having  been  appointed  by  Hon.  Silas  L. 
Bryan,  father  of  William  Jennings  Bryan,  now  so  well  known 
throughout  the  land.  Our  subject's  mother,  Elizabeth  (Rankin) 
Watson,  was  a  native  of  Tennessee.  She  attained  the  age  of  eighty- 
five  years,  passing  to  her  reward  at  Mount  Vernon  early  in  the  nine- 
ties. She  was  the  mother  of  nine  children,  enumerated  here  in  the 
order  of  birth.  John  R.,  William  D.,  Thomas  P.,  Amelia  J.,  wife 
of  Mr.  B.  S.  Miller;  MiUie  P.,  wife  of  John  A.  Wall,  Samuel  H., 
Joel  P.,  James  H.,  and  Virginia,  the  last  named  dying  at  the  age 
of  six  years. 

James  H.  was  reared  in  Mount  Vernon  and  when  fifteen  years 
old  enlisted  in  Company  E  of  the  Seventieth  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry.  He  served  one  hundred  days  and  upon  his  return  from 
the  field,  went  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  was  employed  as  compositor 
on  different  newspapers  for  a  short  time.  He  was  next  appointed 
a  member  of  the  United  States  Detective  Police,  second  services, 
and  remained  in  that  work  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

He  then  took  up  the  study  of  medicine  in  the  office  of  Dr.  W. 
Duff  Green,  and  later  entered  the  St.  Louis  College  of  Physicians 
and  Surgeons,  graduating  in  1880,  although  he  had  previously  en- 


wall's   history  of   JEFFERSON   CO.,    ILL.  537 

gaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession,  chiefly  at  Woodlawn,  where 
he  had  located  in  1868,  being  the  first  person  to  take  up  his  resi- 
dence in  that  village.  The  first  building  erected  there  was  the  one 
constructed  for  his  office. 

Mr.  Watson's  married  life  began  at  Woodlawn  in  1870,  be- 
ing joined  to  Miss  Melissa  Wood,  who  was  born  in  Shiloh  town- 
ship, near  Woodlawn,  in  1 854.  She  was  the  daughter  of  William 
and  Elizabeth  (Buford)  Wood,  who  were  also  among  the  pio- 
neers of  Jefferson  county.  They  completed  their  days  at  Woodlawn 
and  are  laid  to  rest  in  the  Salem  cemetery.  There  were  eight  chil- 
dren in  the  family,  Melissa,  being  the  sixth  in  order  of  birth.  Doctor 
and  Mrs.  Watson  have  become  the  parents  of  three  children,  viz., 
Neva  E.,  Thomas  Bertrand,  and  Fern  I.  Thomas  joined  the  Amer- 
ican forces  in  the  war  with  Spain,  and  died  while  in  the  service  at 
Jacksonville,  Florida,  aged  twenty-four  years. 

Doctor  Watson  has  seen  much  of  public  service,  both  locally 
and  in  the  larger  duties  of  the  state.  He  held  for  a  number  of  years 
the  office  of  Supervisor  of  Shiloh  township  and  has  given  long  ser- 
vice as  president  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  Woodlawn.  During 
President  Cleveland's  first  administration  Doctor  Watson  was  ap- 
pointed a  member  of  the  Board  of  Pension  Examiners,  and  with  the 
exception  of  four  years  has  served  continuously  up  to  the  present 
time.  In  the  fall  of  1 890  he  was  elected  to  the  thirty-seventh  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  Illinois,  and  was  one  of  the  famous  one  hundred 
one  who  elected  General  Palmer  to  the  United  States  Senate.  He 
was  re-elected  to  the  lower  house  of  the  thirty-eighth  General  As- 
sembly and  was  again  returned  to  the  Senate  during  the  forty-sec- 
ond and  forty-third  sessions  of  that  body.  In  the  discharge  of  these 
public  duties  Doctor  Watson  commanded  the  fullest  confidence  of 
his  constituents,  and  received  numerous  expressions  of  gratitude  and 
good  will  for  his  fearless  championship  of  such  measures  as  were 


538  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

calculated  to  further  the  interests  of  the  people  as  against  those  that 
were  partisan  and  biased  in  character.  He  won  many  lasting  friends, 
also,  in  the  Senate  halls,  and  looks  back  now  with  keen  satisfaction 
upon  the  experiences  and  associations  of  those  days. 

In  the  advancement  of  local  interests  our  subject  has  taken  a 
most  willing  and  appreciative  part.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Jef- 
ferson County  Medical  Society,  and  has  done  much  to  popularize 
that  organization  and  promote  its  efficiency.  He  belongs  to  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  and  is  one  of  its  most  representative  and  loyal  ad- 
herents. Thus  in  a  manifold  series  of  activities,  has  he  discharged  to 
the  fullest  degree  all  obligations  of  citizenship,  not  only  to  friends 
and  neighbors,  but  in  the  larger  scope  of  public  service  to  the  com- 
monwealth. 


WILLIAMSON  CARROLL  WEBB. 

To  live  for  almost  three  quarters  of  a  century  in  one  locality 
and  be  an  eye  witness  to  the  marvelous  growth  and  development  that 
mark  the  change  from  pioneer  times  to  the  present  day,  has  been  the 
privilege  of  Williamson  Carroll  Webb,  of  Shiloh  township,  Jef- 
ferson county,  Illinois.  Mr.  Webb  is  one  of  the  oldest  inhabitants 
in  the  township,  and  was  one  of  its  earliest  settlers,  having  come 
hither  with  his  parents  in  1 844.  He  was  born  in  Tennessee  on  Oc- 
tober 27,  1830,  and  was  the  son  of  Bennett  and  Martha  (Hull) 
Webb,  the  former  being  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  and  the  latter 
of  Tennessee.  As  has  just  been  stated  they  emigrated  to  Jeffer- 
son county  in  1844,  and  were  among  the  earliest  settlers.  They 
completed  their  days  here,  Mr.  Webb  attaining  the  age  of  seventy- 
five  years  and  his  wife  seventy.  They  were  the  parents  of  seven 
children,  all  of  whom  grew  to  maturity,  Williamson  being  the  eldest 
of  the  four  sons. 

Our  subject  was  reared  on  the  farm,  receiving  such  education 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  539 

as  was  afforded  under  the  primitive  conditions,  but  which  developed 
within  him  the  strong  independent  spirit  that  has  enabled  him  to 
make  life  a  success.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  M.  Frost,  a 
native  of  Shiloh  township,  and  daughter  of  Newton  L.  and  Emily 
(Stanford)  Frost.  She  became  the  mother  of  seven  children,  two 
of  whom,  Wilford  B.  and  Newton  E.  grew  to  manhood.  She  has 
passed  to  her  reward. 

Mr.  Webb's  second  marriage  took  place  November  7,  1890. 
His  companion  was  Mrs.  Mary  Alvis,  widow  of  James  F.  Alvis, 
and  daughter  of  Joshua  and  Nancy  (Hall)  Stonecipher,  both  na- 
tives of  Tennessee.  They  came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  early  in 
the  forties,  and  ended  her  days  in  that  locality,  and  here  Mrs, 
Webb  was  born,  October  17,  1 85 1 .  She  was  among  the  oldest  of 
a  large  family,  there  being  fourteen  children  in  all,  nine  of  whom 
grew  to  maturity.  Her  home  life  and  training  were  of  the  most 
wholesome  type,  the  spirit  of  fellowship  and  kindly  helpfulness  hav- 
ing been  inculcated  into  her  ways  of  thinking  as  she  grew  to  woman- 
hood, having  a  share  in  the  cares  and  responsibilities  of  the  house- 
hold. By  her  first  husband  she  became  the  mother  of  three  children, 
only  one  of  whom,  Henry  E.  Alvis,  is  surviving. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Webb  are  the  parents  of  two  children,  William 
C.  and  Herman  W.  Mr.  Webb  has  taken  an  active  part  in  the 
management  of  local  affairs.  Although  he  has  been  a  very  busy 
man,  devoting  the  majoi  portion  of  his  time  to  the  management  of 
his  extensive  farming  interests,  yet  he  has  frequently  consented  to  fill 
such  offices  his  friends  and  neighbors  urged  him  to  accept.  He  has 
been  Supervisor  of  the  township,  and  was  for  nine  years  its  Con- 
stable. He  was  Collector  for  one  term  and  also  sei-ved  for  six  years 
as  Highway  Commissioner.  He  affiliates  with  the  Democratic 
party,  but  stands  first  of  all  for  a  fair  and  honest  administration  of 
all  duties,  public  or  private. 


540  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

He  has  made  farming  his  chief  work,  and  his  success  in  this  hne 
is  but  a  natural  consequence,  for  he  has  exercised  wise  discretion  and 
skill  in  judgment,  so  that  his  efforts  have  been  accompanied  with 
commendable  results.  He  has  grown  with  the  times  and  in  his  riper 
years  has  coupled  a  wide  experience  with  a  close  observation  of  the 
most  advanced  thought  and  methods,  and  this  with  his  neighborly 
spirit,  has  made  him  a  valuable  and  popular  member  of  the  com- 
munity. 


JOHN  J.  WILLIS. 

Time  swings  steadily  onward  and  the  years  soon  troop  into 
centuries.  Only  a  few  years  ago  the  veterans  of  the  Civil  war  were 
numerous,  and  for  the  most  part  men  of  vigor  and  energy.  Now 
their  ranks  have  become  thinned  and  the  frosts  of  many  winters  have 
whitened  their  locks,  while  the  measured  tread  of  their  footfalls  has 
given  place  to  the  deliberate  and  careful  step  that  betokens  the  ar- 
rival of  old  age. 

Among  those  of  the  boys  that  wore  the  blue  that  still  survive 
and  enjoy  health  and  vigor  is  John  J.  Willis,  of  Shiloh  township, 
Jefferson  county,  Illinois.  Mr.  Willis  was  the  son  of  Thomas 
Willis,  who  was  born  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Maryland  early  in  the 
last  century,  and  when  eleven  years  old  came  with  his  parents  to 
Hamilton  county,  Ohio,  where  he  was  reared  to  manhood.  He  be- 
came engaged  in  work  on  the  Ohio  and  the  Mississippi  rivers,  and 
followed  this  until  he  was  about  forty  years  of  age.  At  this  time 
he  was  still  smgle,  and  concluded  to  abandon  the  river  and  take  up 
farming.  He  accordingly  cast  about  for  a  location  and  finally  set- 
tled in  Jefferson  county,  and  began  farming  in  what  is  now  Shiloh 
township.  Here  he  was  married  to  Mrs.  Melinda  (Tyler)  Poston, 
who  was  born  in  Tennessee,  and  came  to  Jefferson  county  in  1818. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  541 

Mr.  Willis  passed  to  his  reward,  having  reached  the  advanced  age 
of  eighty  years.  Mrs.  Willis  survived  until  1896,  attaining  the  age 
of  seventy  years.  Three  children  were  born  into  this  family,  of 
whom  our  subject  was  the  oldest.  The  second  child,  Joseph  N., 
died  in  infancy.  The  third  son  was  William  T.,  who  now  lives  in 
Mount  Vernon. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Shiloh  township  on  the  1  1  th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1842,  and  has  made  his  home  in  that  locality  continuously. 
He  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  and  this  has  been  his  chief  busi- 
ness, although  he  has  done  some  general  farming  in  connection  with 
his  regular  work. 

When  the  Civil  war  began  and  the  trumpet  call  for  men  rang 
through  the  land,  no  heart  beat  with  a  more  fervent  patriotism  than 
did  that  of  John  D.  Willis.  In  July,  1 861 ,  he  enlisted  in  Company 
D  of  the  Forty-ninth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry  and  he  remained  in 
active  service  until  the  close  of  the  war.  It  is  impossible  in  this 
limited  space  to  follow  him  in  detail  through  his  many  experiences. 
He  was  engaged  for  the  most  part  in  the  southwest,  and  participated 
in  many  hard-fought  engagements.  He  was  present  at  Ft.  Donel- 
son,  Shiloh  and  Vicksburg,  and  later  fought  at  Meridian,  Missis- 
sippi; Phoenix  Hill,  Louisana;  Little  Rock,  Arkansas;  Franklin 
and  Big  Blue,  Missouri ;  Nashville,  Tennessee,  and  numerous  other 
smaller  engagements. 

On  leaving  the  service  he  returned  to  Shiloh  township  and  set- 
tled down  to  farming  and  carpentry.  On  March  3,  1867,  Mr. 
Willis  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  A.  Casey,  a  native  of  Shiloh  town- 
ship and  daughter  of  Green  P.  and  Peggy  (Watkins)  Casey,  the 
former  being  a  native  of  Kentucky  and  the  latter  of  Tennessee,  both 
early  settlers  in  this  community.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Willis  are  the  par- 
ents of  one  son,  Wilton  C,  who  is  at  present  County  Treasurer  of 
Jefferson  county. 


542  wall's  history  of  jefferson  cc,  ill. 

Mr.  Willis  has  held  the  office  of  Township  Supervisor,  and  has 
also  served  as  Tax  Collector.  He  affiliates  with  the  Republican 
party  and  has  manifested  his  loyalty  as  a  citizen  by  his  exemplary 
conduct  and  upright  discharge  of  all  duties  both  public  and  private. 


WILLIAM  H.  MAXEY. 

The  agricultural  interests  of  Shiloh  township  are  represented 
by  some  of  the  most  intelligent  and  enterprising  citizens  of  this  part 
of  Illinois,  and  none  stands  higher  in  the  list  than  the  well  known 
farmer  whose  name  appears  above.  He  is  descended  from  pioneer 
ancestry  and  in  his  personality  are  combined  many  of  the  sterling 
qualities  that  characterized  his  forefathers  as  they  braved  the  dan- 
gers and  privations  of  frontier  life. 

Mr.  Maxey  was  born  in  Shiloh  township,  Jefferson  county, 
Illinois,  on  the  5th  day  of  August.  1853.  His  father,  William  T. 
Maxey,  was  born  in  the  same  township,  being  the  son  of  Rev.  Joshua 
C.  Maxey,  a  Methodist  minister.  Our  subject's  great-grandfather, 
William  Maxey,  was  a  pioneer  settler  in  the  township,  having  come 
hither  when  the  wilderness  was  still  practically  undisturbed,  taxing 
to  the  utmost  the  courage  and  fortitude  of  the  new-comer. 

Mary  M.  (Cummins)  Maxey,  mother  of  our  subject,  was  also 
born  and  reared  in  Shiloh  township.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Sam- 
uel Cummins,  a  well  known  and  respected  farmer. 

William  H.  Maxey  was  the  first  of  three  children,  the  other 
two  being  Jehu  Marshall,  who  married  Ella  Moss,  and  Laura  E., 
who  married  William  A.  Piercy.  Mr.  Maxey  received  such  edu- 
cation as  was  afforded  by  the  local  district  school,  and  as  he  grew 
to  maturity  formed  the  habits  of  industry  and  steady  application  that 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,    ILL.  543 

have  been  such  important  factors  in  his  success  as  a  farmer.  He  has 
made  an  intelligent  study  of  agriculture  and  has  familiarized  him- 
self with  the  most  modern  methods  of  handling  crops  as  well  as  kept 
abreast  of  the  times  in  the  scientific  phases  of  soil  study  and  seeds  cul- 
ture. His  farm  of  one  hundred  twenty-six  acres  is  well  improved, 
equipped  with  good  buildings  and  fences,  and  is  well  drained.  With 
careful  attention  to  the  rotation  of  crops  Mr.  Maxey  has  been  able 
to  get  the  maximum  of  production  with  the  least  exhaustion  of  the 
soil. 

Mr.  Maxey's  matrimonial  career  began  on  March  6.  1873, 
when  he  was  joined  in  marriage  to  Miss  Martha  L.  Harper,  who 
was  born  in  Shiloh  township,  June  7,  1 852.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  Claybourne  B.  and  Matilda  S.  (Bateman)  Harper,  who  were 
also  classed  as  old  settlers  of  this  locality.  They  probably  came 
hither  from  Tennessee  and  were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  of 
whom  Mrs.  Maxey  was  the  sixth. 

Our  subject  and  wife  are  the  parents  of  one  son,  Ashley  E., 
who  was  born  January  20,  1 880.  The  Maxey  homestead  is  one  of 
the  best  known  in  the  community,  not  only  because  several  genera- 
tions of  the  same  family  have  occupied  it,  but  because  the  social  at- 
mosphere here  is  most  genuine  and  pleasant,  and  when  once  enjoyed 
is  not  soon  forgotten.  Mr.  Maxey  is  well  known  also  in  the  general 
affairs  of  the  township,  having  taken  a  deep  interest  in  the  advance- 
ment of  matters  pertaining  to  the  common  welfare.  He  has  been 
asked  at  various  times  to  serve  the  township  in  its  offices,  having  filled 
those  of  Township  Supervisor,  Clerk,  and  School  Trustee. 
He  affiliates  with  the  Democratic  party,  and  stands  squarely  on  the 
principle  so  long  maintained  by  that  organization,  but  he  does  not 
at  any  time  lose  sight  of  the  fundamental  maxims  of  justice  and 
equity  that  form  the  foundation  of  all  good  government. 


544  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

THOMAS  JEFFERSON  HOLSTLAW. 

With  the  progress  and  development  along  all  industrial  lines  in 
modern  times,  there  has  come  also  a  marked  awakening  in  agricul- 
tural pursuits,  and  the  problem  of  the  farm  is  now  being  made  the 
subject  of  special  study  not  only  on  the  part  of  those  directly  en- 
gaged in  farming,  but  also  by  scientific  men  and  special  institutions. 
This  has  come  about  in  a  natural  way. 

A  greater  knowledge  is  needed  in  the  question  of  plant  foods 
as  well  as  their  care  and  culture.  Without  going  into  detail  in  this 
fascinating  subject  we  here  make  mention  of  the  growth  of  Farmer's 
Institutes  and  kindred  organizations,  having  for  their  purpose  the  ac- 
quisition of  a  more  intelligent  view  of  the  question  of  agriculture  and 
its  associated  industries. 

As  an  active  worker  in  this  field  and  an  effective  promoter  of 
the  institution  feature  in  Jefferson  county,  mention  should  be  made 
of  Thomas  Jefferson  Holstlaw,  a  resident  of  Shiloh  township,  and 
at  present  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Jefferson  County  Farmers' 
Institute.  Mr.  Holstlaw  was  born  in  the  above  mentioned  township 
on  the  26th  day  of  August,  1862.  His  father,  Henry  J.  Holstlaw, 
was  a  native  of  Barren  county,  Kentucky,  and  after  coming  to  Jef- 
ferson county,  Illinois,  was  married  to  Miss  Lucretia  E.  Johnson, 
who  was  bom  in  Rome  township,  this  county.  After  marriage  they 
settled  upon  their  farm  in  Shiloh  township,  where  they  both  ended 
their  days,  Mr.  Holstlaw  attaining  the  age  of  seventy  years,  while 
his  companion  reached  the  age  of  seventy-four.  Four  children  were 
born  of  this  union,  of  whom  our  subject  was  the  second.  He  was 
reared  in  Shiloh  township,  and  received  his  early  education  in  the 
neighboring  district  school.  He  later  attended  Ewing  College  two 
years.  Although  thus  limited  by  circumstances,  he  did  not  permit 
these  limitations  to  hinder  his  independent  study  and  observation. 


wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO..    ILL.  545 

and  as  he  grew  to  maturity  he  became  a  close  student  of  the  things 
that  lay  next  door,  and  consequently  he  has  become  a  leader  in  at- 
tacking the  difficulties  that  are  now  being  so  intelligently  faced  by 
farming  committees. 

Mr.  Holstlaw  was  married  on  the  28th  of  October,  1896,  to 
Miss  Sarah  A.  Whitlock,  who  was  born  in  Field  township,  June  8, 
1867.  She  was  the  daughter  of  George  L.  and  Margaret  (Patton) 
Whitlock,  the  former  a  native  of  Tennessee  and  the  latter  of  Ken- 
tucky. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Holstlaw  are  the  parents  of  one  child,  Ida  Mur- 
iel, who  was  born  February  7,  1903.  Mr.  Holstlaw  has  taken  an 
active  interest  in  the  management  of  local  affairs,  and  has  been  a  fac- 
tor in  promoting  a  good  public  spirit  in  the  community.  He  has 
held  the  office  of  Township  Assessor,  and  affiliates  with  the  Demo-> 
cratic  party.  He  is  enterprising  as  a  farmer  and  stock  raiser  and 
enjoys  prestige  among  his  neighbors  and  friends.  His  farm  has  good 
buildings  and  fences  and  is  well  drained. 

Our  subject  and  wife  are  active  workers  in  the  United  Mis- 
sionary Baptist  church  and  contribute  liberally  of  their  time  and 
means  to  its  support.  Mrs.  Holstlaw  is  secretary  and  treasurer  of 
Household  Science,  the  domestic  branch  of  the  Farmers'  Institute. 


CURTIS  WILLIAMS. 


Three  generations  of  the  family  of  this  name  have  taken  part 
in  the  development  of  Illinois.  The  founder.  Rev.  S.  M.  Williams, 
a  pioneer  missionary  Baptist  minister,  was  born  in  North  Carolina, 
January  28,  I  792,  and  located  in  Franklin  county,  Illinois,  in  1837, 
dying  there  in  1875.     He  married  Frances  Shaw,  also  a  native  of 

35 


546  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

North  Carolina,  who  died  at  Franklin  county  homestead  in  1874. 
This  pioneer  couple  had  fourteen  children.  Next  to  the  youngest 
of  these  was  Stephen  L.  Williams,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Frank- 
hn  county,  Ilhnois,  November  13,  1839.  He  remained  at  home 
until  he  reached  his  twenty-fourth  year,  when  he  started  out  to  make 
his  own  living  as  a  farm  hand.  He  remained  in  Franklin  county 
until  1865,  when  he  went  to  Cincinnati  and  entered  as  a  student  in 
the  Physio-Medical  College  and,  after  finishing  the  course,  re- 
turned to  his  native  county  to  begin  the  practice  of  medicine.  Soon 
afterward  he  located  at  Spring  Garden,  in  Jefferson  county,  which 
has  been  his  home  ever  since.  In  1877  he  graduated  from  the  St. 
Louis  American  Medical  College,  January  22,  1 869.  Doctor  Wil- 
liams was  married  to  Margaret  J.,  daughter  of  James  M.  and  Nancy 
(Felts)  Arnold,  of  Robertson  county,  Tennessee.  After  an  active 
practice  of  many  years.  Doctor  Williams  is  now  living  in  peaceful 
retirement  at  Spring  Garden.  His  wife  was  a  native  of  Tennessee 
and  came  to  this  county  when  fourteen  years  old.  Doctor  and  Mrs. 
Williams  had  four  children:  Hugh,  deputy  Sheriff  of  Jefferson 
county;  Viola  May  died  in  infancy;  Curtis  and  Alsa,  who  is  an 
optician  in  business  in  Jefferson  county. 

Curtis  Williams,  the  third  child,  was  born  at  Spring  Garden, 
Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  July  21,  1873.  After  the  usual  term  in 
the  district  schools,  he  entered  Ewing  College  in  Franklin  county, 
when  seventeen  years  old  and  remained  there  during  four  school 
years,  graduating  in  1 905  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  He 
taught  school  for  seven  years,  during  and  subsequent  to  his  college 
career,  his  educational  work  being  mostly  done  in  Jefferson  county. 
He  was  a  teacher  in  the  Mount  Vernon  high  school  one  year,  at 
Woodlawn  for  three  years  and  Opdyke  one  year.  In  the  fall  of 
1901  he  entered  the  University  of  Missouri  at  Columbia  and  was 
graduated  in  the  class  of   1904  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  547 

Laws.  The  next  year  he  located  at  Mount  Vernon,  having  been 
admitted  to  practice  law  by  the  Illinois  Supreme  Court,  Decem- 
ber 13,  1904.  He  has  since  been  steadily  engaged  in  prosecuting 
his  profession,  his  office  being  in  rooms  1  -2-3  of  the  Rockaway  and 
Emmerson  building.  He  is  attorney  for  the  Fidelity  &  Casualty 
Company,  of  New  York,  and  has  other  prominent  clients,  including 
the  Home  Insurance  Company  of  New  York. 

June  11,  1907,  Mr.  Williams  was  married  to  Miss  Maud  L., 
daughter  of  Alvin  and  Anna  (Watkins)  Gilbert,  a  farmer  and 
stock  raiser,  of  Waltonville.  One  child,  Alvin  Lacey,  was  born 
March  13,  1908.  Mr.  Williams  has  served  as  deputy  grand  chan- 
cellor of  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Ma- 
sonic order  and  is  prominent  and  popular  both  in  fraternal  and  social 
circles.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Republican  County  Central  Com- 
mittee and  takes  an  active  interest  in  politics. 


GEORGE  L.  ORE. 


The  gentleman  of  whom  the  biographer  writes  in  this  connec- 
tion is  a  native  of  Tennessee  and  inherits  many  of  the  chivalrous 
qualities  and  characteristics  of  the  Southland.  He  is  descended 
from  an  old  and  highly  esteemed  Southern  family  that  figured  in  the 
early  history  of  North  Carolina  and  subsequently  became  prominent 
in  the  annals  of  certain  parts  of  Tennessee,  the  people  having  been 
among  the  influential  Whigs  of  the  latter  state.  Jacob  Ore,  the  sub- 
ject's grandfather,  was  born  in  North  Carolina,  but  when  a  young 
man  went  to  Tennessee,  where  he  married  and  reared  a  large  family 
of  twelve  children,  all  of  whom  became  well  known  and  respected  in 
their  various  places  of  residence.     By  occupation  Jacob  Ore  was  a 


548  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

farmer.  He  succeeded  well  at  his  calling  and  lived  a  long  and  use- 
ful life  which  was  terminated  about  the  year  1878,  leaving  to  his 
descendants  the  heritage  of  an  honorable  name. 

Among  the  children  of  Jacob  Ore  was  a  son  by  the  name  of 
Ransom,  who  was  bom  in  East  Tennessee  and  in  1879  moved  to 
Illinois  and  settled  near  McLeansboro,  and  engaged  in  the  pursuit 
of  agriculture.  He  was  a  Union  soldier  during  the  great  Rebellion, 
serving  in  the  Sixth  Tennessee  Infantry  and  taking  part  in  many  of 
the  most  noted  battles  of  the  war,  among  which  were  Perryville, 
Franklin,  Chickamaugua,  Murfreesboro,  the  various  engagements  of 
the  Atlanta  campaign  and  numerous  others,  in  all  of  which  he  nobly 
upheld  the  government  and  did  valiant  service  for  the  Union. 

Caroline  Hedgcock,  wife  of  Ransom  Ore,  was  born  near 
Knoxville,  Tennessee,  and  belongs  to  an  old  family  that  settled  in 
that  state  shortly  after  the  Revolutionary  war.  She  was  married 
near  the  place  of  her  birth  and  with  her  husband  is  now  living  in 
Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  having  moved  to  this  part  of  the  state  in 
the  year  1 904.  Ransom  and  Caroline  Ore  are  the  parents  of  eight 
children,  five  of  whom  are  living,  namely:  George  L.  of  this  re- 
view; Samuel  E.,  with  the  Car  Manufacturing  Company  of  Mount 
Vernon;  John  E.,  who  is  engaged  in  the  mail  service  in  the  same 
city;  Robert  F.,  a  carpenter  and  builder,  of  Mount  Vernon,  and 
Mattie,  a  teacher  in  the  city  schools. 

George  L.  Ore  was  born  January  23,  1869,  near  the  city  of 
Knoxville,  Tennessee,  and  when  ten  years  old  accompanied  his  par- 
ents to  McLeansboro,  where  he  spent  his  youth  on  a  farm,  attend- 
ing the  public  schools  at  intervals  in  the  meantime.  Possessing  a  de- 
cided taste  for  books  and  study  he  made  such  rapid  progress  in  his 
school  work  that  at  the  early  age  of  eighteen  he  was  qualified  to 
teach,  which  profession  he  followed  with  gratifying  success  during 
the  eight  years  ensuing,  devoting  his  vacations  to  the  study  of  law, 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO..   ILL.  549 

for  which  profession  he  had  long  manifested  a  strong  preference. 
Young  Ore  prosecuted  his  legal  studies  under  the  direction  of  Judge 
T.  M.  Eckley.  of  McLeansboro,  and  in  1894  was  admitted  to  the 
Hamilton  County  Bar.  In  casting  about  for  a  favorable  field  in 
which  to  begin  the  practice  of  his  profession  his  attention  was  at- 
tracted to  Mount  Vernon  and  in  1895  he  opened  an  office  in  this 
city  and  in  due  time  gained  recognition  as  a  well  qualified  and  ener- 
getic attorney  with  the  result  that  a  profitable  professional  business 
soon  rewarded  his  efforts. 

Mr.  Ore's  legal  career  has  been  successful  beyond  that  of  the 
majority  of  young  lawyers  and  he  forged  rapidly  to  the  front,  among 
the  leading  members  of  the  Jefferson  County  Bar.  In  1904  he  was 
elected  on  the  Republican  ticket  State's  Attorney,  the  duties  of 
which  important  and  responsible  office  he  discharged  with  marked 
ability  and  commended  fidelity  until  the  expiration  of  his  term,  in 
1 908,  when  he  was  re-nominated  and  was  re-elected  to  said  office 
in  November  of  that  year,  being  the  only  Republican  elected  to 
county  office  in  said  county  that  year. 

Before  his  election  as  State's  Attorney,  Mr.  Ore  served  two 
years  as  Police  Magistrate  of  Mount  Vernon  and  for  one  year  was 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  having  been  appointed  to  the  latter  office  by  the 
County  Board.  In  both  positions  he  demonstrated  ability  of  a  high 
order  and  a  sincere  desire  to  subserve  the  best  interests  of  the  munici- 
pality and  his  record  in  these  offices  is  without  a  stain.  As  a  lawyer 
he  is  studious,  energetic,  being  well  grounded  in  the  principles  of  his 
profession  and  ready  in  applying  his  knowledge  to  practice.  In  the 
trial  of  cases  he  is  alert,  quick  to  detect  and  take  advantage  of  a 
weak  point  in  the  part  of  his  adversary,  but  under  all  circumstances, 
courteous  to  opposing  counsel  and  eminently  honorable  in  his  meth- 
ods. He  has  been  identified  with  much  important  litigation  since  en- 
gaging in  the  practice  and  during  his  incumbency  as  State's  Attor- 


550  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

ney  he  left  nothing  undone  in  his  efforts  to  enforce  the  law  and  bring 
criminals,  his  name  becoming  a  terror  to  evil  doers  within  his  juris- 
diction. 

Mr.  Ore  is  one  of  the  leading  Republicans  in  Jefferson  county, 
standing  high  in  party  counsels  and  contributing  much  to  the  strength 
of  the  cause  which  he  has  so  close  at  heart.  He  is  a  gcod  cam- 
paigner, both  on  the  hustings  and  as  a  worker  in  the  ranks,  and  his 
influence  in  political  circles  is  by  no  means  confined  to  local  matters, 
but  has  been  felt  in  district  and  state  affairs  as  well  to  say  nothing 
of  his  activity  in  national  contests.  As  a  citizen  he  is  highly  es- 
teemed irrespective  of  party  and  few  men  in  the  county  have  as 
many  warm  friends. 

Mr.  Ore  was  married  in  1891  to  Miss  Minnie  A.  Marsh,  of 
McLeansboro,  Illinois,  daughter  of  Frank  Marsh,  the  union  result- 
ing in  the  birth  of  two  children,  Lillian,  born  in  1897,  and  Frank 
Marsh,  whose  birth  occurred  in  1907.  Mr.  Ore  is  a  member  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  and  with  his  wife  belongs  to  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church. 


HON.  WILLIAM  B.  WILLIAMS. 

An  enumeration  of  the  men  who  have  won  recognition  and 
honor  for  themselves  and  added  luster  to  the  fair  name  of  Jefferson 
county,  would  be  incomplete  without  due  notice  of  the  representative 
citizen  and  distinguished  public  servant  whose  name  appears  at  the 
head  of  this  article.  Of  high  character  and  strong  mentality,  he  has 
played  an  important  part  in  the  recent  history  of  his  section  of  the 
slate  and  today  few  men  in  Jefferson  county  are  as  widely  known 
and  favorably  regarded.  William  B.  Williams,  ex-County  Treas- 
urer and  present  Mayor  of  Mount  Vernon,  is  a  native  of  Illinois. 


wall's   history  of   JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  551 

bom  near  the  town  of  Ashley,  Washington  county,  on  April  30th 
of  the  year  1874.  His  grandfather,  William  T.  Williams,  a  Ken- 
tuckian  by  birth  and  the  first  representative  of  the  family  in  Illinois, 
came  to  Jefferson  county  as  a  pioneer  minister  and  became  prominent 
in  religious  circles  in  an  early  day,  besides  taking  an  active  part  in 
the  material  development  of  the  locality  in  which  he  settled.  He 
preached  for  many  years  among  the  settlements  of  this  and  neighbor- 
ing counties,  established  a  number  of  churches  in  different  parts  of 
the  country  and  lived  to  be  quite  an  old  man,  dying  about  1890, 
at  the  age  of  eighty  years. 

Among  the  children  of  this  staunch  old  pioneer  and  earnest 
minister,  was  a  son  of  the  same  name,  William  T.  Williams,  who 
was  born  on  the  family  homestead  in  Jefferson  county  and  later  be- 
came an  influential  citizen  and  successful  business  man  of  Mount 
Vernon.  He  served  the  county  twenty-four  years  as  official  sur- 
veyor and  for  a  number  of  years  was  engaged  in  the  real  estate  busi- 
ness at  Mount  Vernon,  besides  being  an  active  and  influential  factor 
in  public  affairs  and  taking  a  leading  part  in  the  material  advance- 
ment of  the  city. 

Irena  B.  Jarrell,  who  became  the  wife  of  William  T.  Wil- 
liams, is  a  native  of  Jefferson  county,  and  the  daughter  of  a  pioneer 
settler  who  moved  to  this  state  many  years  ago  from  Tennessee. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williams  reared  a  family  of  eight  children,  all  but 
one  living,  their  names  being  as  follows :  Mrs.  Fannie  B.  McMeen, 
of  South  Bellingham,  Washington;  George,  Mrs.  Maud  A. 
Hershey,  Albert,  Mrs.  Gertrude  Warran,  Mary,  and  William  B., 
of  this  review,  who  is  the  second  in  order  of  birth.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  Mrs.  McMeen  and  Mrs.  Warren,  all  live  in  Mount  Vernon, 
Mary  being  still  with  her  mother  at  the  old  country  home. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  spent  his  childhood  and  youth  in 
Mount  Vernon  and  after  obtaining  a  good  education  in  the  city 


552  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co..  ill. 

schools,  prepared  himself  for  a  business  career  by  taking  a  course  in 
the  Mount  Vernon  Commercial  College.  Later  he  served  four  years 
as  deputy  County  Surveyor  under  his  father  and  in  1 896  was  elected 
to  that  office,  the  duties  of  which  he  discharged  in  an  eminently 
creditable  and  satisfactory  manner  for  the  same  length  of  time. 
Meanwhile,  he  had  become  interested  in  political  affairs  and  at  quite 
an  early  age  he  was  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  and  influential' 
young  men  of  the  local  Democracy,  his  services  to  his  party  as  well 
as  his  fitness  for  the  position,  leading  to  his  election  as  stated  above. 
Retiring  from  the  office  of  Surveyor  at  the  expiration  of  his 
term,  Mr.  Williams,  in  1900,  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business, 
which  he  has  since  continued  with  most  encouraging  financial  results, 
being  at  this  time  one  of  the  most  extensive  and  successful  real  estate 
dealers  in  Jefferson  county.  His  business  takes  very  wide  range, 
including  in  addition  to  all  kinds  of  city  and  farm  property  in  this 
county,  a  large  and  growing  patronage  in  various  parts  of  Illinois 
and  other  states,  handling  every  year  thousands  of  acres  of  land, 
improved  and  unimproved,  and  making  deals  and  effecting  trades 
representing  many  thousand  dollars  of  capital.  In  the  year  1905, 
Mr.  Williams  was  further  honored  by  being  elected  to  the  respon- 
sible office  of  Mayor  of  Mount  Vernon  and  so  ably  did  he  discharge 
the  duties  of  the  same,  that  at  the  expiration  of  his  term  he  was 
triumphantly  chosen  his  own  successor  and  is  now  sparing  no  reason- 
able efforts  to  justify  the  people  in  the  wisdom  of  their  choice  and 
prove  a  capable  and  faithful  executive.  Since  entering  the  office  he 
has  made  a  splendid  record,  both  in  the  matter  of  public  improve- 
ments and  the  enforcement  of  the  law,  having  been  instrumental  in 
bringing  about  the  paving  of  the  streets  of  the  city  at  a  cost  of  over 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars  and  making  his  name  such  a  terror  to 
evil  doers  that  Mount  Vernon  is  now  not  only  the  best  improved  in- 
land town  in  the  state,  but  it  is  universally  conceded  that  the  city's 


wall's   history  of   JEFFERSON   CO.,    ILL.  553 

advancement  along  material  lines  has  been  greater  during  his  admin- 
istration than  under  any  of  his  predecessors,  much  of  the  growth  as 
well  as  its  advantages  in  the  matter  of  investments  and  desirability 
as  a  place  of  residence,  being  directly  attributable  to  his  energy,  exe- 
cutive ability  and  systematic  methods  of  government.  He  is  un- 
wavering in  his  advocacy  of  whatever  he  believes  to  be  right  and  for 
the  best  interests  of  the  people  upholds  his  honest  convictions  at  the 
sacrifice  of  every  other  consideration  and  loses  sight  of  self  in  his 
earnest  endeavor  to  promote  the  welfare  of  the  public. 

The  domestic  chapter  in  the  life  of  Mr.  Williams  dates  from 
October  9,  1898,  at  which  time  was  solemnized  his  marriage  with 
Miss  Nannie  A.  Herron,  daughter  of  Wesley  and  Malinda  Herron, 
of  the  town  of  Boyd,  Jefferson  county,  both  parents  deceased.  Three 
children  have  come  to  gladden  and  make  bright  the  home  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Williams,  namely:  Roy,  born  July  22,  1899;  Nellie, 
born  December  18,  1901,  and  William,  whose  birth  occurred  on 
December  11,  1907. 

Mr.  Williams  holds  membership  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
and  Modern  Woodmen  and,  with  his  wife,  belongs  to  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church  of  Mount  Vernon.  Both  are  deeply  inter- 
ested in  religious  and  benevolent  work  and  to  the  poor,  needy  and 
suffering,  they  are  ever  ready  to  extend  the  helping  hand.  Mr.  Wil- 
liams is  a  man  of  broad  general  information,  a  careful  reader  of  the 
world's  best  literature  and  an  intelligent  student  of  current  events. 
Conscientious  in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  citizenship,  he  is  a 
valuable  factor  of  the  body  politic  and  his  aim  has  ever  been  to 
shape  his  life  according  to  the  highest  standard  of  manly  excellence. 
He  is  actuated  in  all  he  does  by  noble  aims  and  high  ideals  and  the 
concensus  of  opinion  in  the  city  of  his  residence  is  that  he  stands  be- 
fore the  world  a  model  of  the  able  official  and  successful  business 
man  and  a  true  type  of  the  broad  minded  courteous  gentleman 
whom  to  know  is  to  respect  and  honor. 


554  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

W.  B.  PHILLIPS. 

The  efficient  and  popular  Clerk  of  Jefferson  county  and  for 
many  years  one  of  the  leading  educators  in  this  part  of  the  state,  is 
a  native  of  Illinois,  born  in  Franklin  county,  on  the  5th  day  of 
February,  I860.  His  father,  Joseph  Phillips,  also  a  native  of  the 
county  of  Franklin  and  a  farmer  by  occupation,  moved  to  Jefferson 
county  in  1866  from  which  time  until  his  death,  in  January,  1907, 
he  was  a  successful  agriculturist  and  prominent  citizen  of  Shiloh 
township.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  great  Rebellion  Joseph  Phillips 
enlisted  in  Company  F,  Fortieth  Illinois  Infantry,  and  served  with 
an  honorable  record  for  a  period  of  four  years  and  eight  days,  dur- 
ing the  greater  part  of  which  time  his  regiment  was  in  the  Fifteenth 
Army  Corps  and  took  part  in  many  of  the  most  noted  battles  of  the 
war.  He  was  with  his  command  in  every  engagement  in  which  it 
participated,  including  Shiloh,  Corinth,  Vicksburg,  Jackson,  Mis- 
sissippi ;  Missionary  Ridge,  the  Atlanta  campaign,  and  on  one  occa- 
sion while  with  several  of  his  comrades  had  the  misfortune  to  fall 
into  the  hands  of  Texans  who  with  scant  ceremony  decided  to  put 
their  prisoners  to  death.  The  escape  of  Mr.  Phillips  after  being 
taken  into  the  woods  and  seeing  one  of  his  comrades  shot  down  in 
cold  blood  and  himself  receiving  the  fire  of  the  men  who  were  se- 
lected to  put  him  to  death  borders  very  closely  upon  the  miraculous' 
and  reads  like  a  tale  from  the  pen  of  the  most  extravagant  writers  of 
fiction.  After  being  shot  through  the  neck  and  head,  lying  stunned 
some  minutes,  until  he  heard  the  leader  of  the  squad  order  one  of  the 
men  to  beat  out  his  brains  with  the  end  of  a  musket,  with  a  desper- 
ate effort  he  rose  to  his  feet  and  much  to  the  surprise  of  his  would- 
be  executioners,  made  a  dash  for  liberty  and  ran  with  all  the  strength 
he  possessed  into  the  woods,  but  his  captors  equally  on  the  alert 
started  in  pursuit,  firing  as  they  ran.     In  this  way  the  race  for  life 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  555 

was  kept  up  until  the  prisoner  fell  over  a  high  embankment  into  a 
stream,  owing  to  the  loss  of  blood,  from  which  he  extricated  him- 
self with  extreme  difficulty.  Making  his  way  through  a  dense  un- 
dergrowth to  a  ditch  near  the  highway  he  concealed  himself  for  some 
time  in  the  mud  and  water,  although  the  enemy  bent  upon  his  cap- 
ture were  standing  within  a  few  feet  of  his  hiding  place.  To  nar- 
rate in  detail  how  Mr.  Phillips  eluded  his  pursuers  and  after  many 
thrilling  experiences  finally  reached  the  Federal  lines  would  far 
transcend  the  limits  of  this  article,  but  suffice  it  to  state  that  the  in- 
cident, which  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  in  the  history  of  the  war, 
is  worthy  of  a  place  in  the  literature  of  the  period  in  which  it  oc- 
curred, and  should  be  put  in  permanent  form  for  the  benefit  of  his 
family  and  friends. 

Joseph  Phillips  married  Rebecca  Phelps,  of  Franklin  county, 
who  bore  him  ten  children,  all  living  but  one  that  died  in  infancy, 
their  names  being  as  follows:  Mrs.  Mahala  Ingram,  of  Shiloh  town- 
ship; Mrs.  Carolina  Wilson,  of  Casner  township;  John  E.,  of 
Shiloh  township ;  Rev.  Charles  R.  Phillips,  pastor  of  the  First  Meth- 
odist church  of  Eldorado,  Illinois;  Mrs.  Ida  Conway,  wife  of  Doc- 
tor Norman  Conway,  of  Franklin  county;  Orville  E.,  deputy  Coun- 
ty Clerk  of  Jefferson  county;  Lewis  E.,  of  Roan  township;  Mrs. 
Delia  Ripplinger,  of  Dodds  township,  and  W.  B.,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  who  is  the  second  in  order  of  birth.  The  mother  of  these 
children  is  still  living  and  makes  her  home  at  this  time  with  her 
daughter  who  lives  in  Dodds  township. 

William  Phillips,  the  subject's  grandfather,  came  to  Illinois 
many  years  ago  and  settled  near  the  town  of  Akin,  Franklin  county, 
where  he  purchased  land,  and  became  a  well-to-do  citizen ;  he  took 
an  active  part  in  developing  the  resources  of  his  section  of  country 
and  encouraged  all  enterprises  which  tended  to  benefit  the  commu- 
nity and  after  a  long  and  useful  life  was  called  to  his  reward  with  the 
consciousness  of  duty  well  done,  dying  in  the  year  1 860. 


556  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

W.  B.  Phillips  was  six  years  old  when  his  parents  moved  to 
Jefferson  county  and  during  the  ensuing  ten  years  he  lived  in  Rome 
township  and  assisted  in  the  labors  of  the  farm.  In  1876  the  fam- 
ily removed  to  a  farm  in  Shiloh  township  where  the  subject  remained 
until  elected  to  the  office  which  he  now  holds,  attending  school  in 
the  meantime  and  making  rapid  progress  in  his  studies.  After  fin- 
ishing the  branches  constituting  the  curriculum  of  the  public  school, 
he  took  the  scientific  course  in  the  Southern  Illinois  Normal,  the 
training  thus  received  being  supplemented  in  1882  by  a  course  in 
the  Northern  Indiana  Normal  University,  at  Valparaiso,  which 
institution  he  attended  for  the  purpose  of  adding  to  his  knowledge 
and  efficiency  as  a  teacher,  meanwhile  he  began  his  long  career  as 
an  educator  by  teaching  a  term  of  school  in  Farrington  township, 
Jefferson  county,  and  during  the  next  twenty  years  following  de- 
voted his  attention  very  closely  to  educational  work,  achieving 
marked  success  as  an  able  instructor  and  judicious  disciplinarian 
and  earning  an  honorable  reputation  among  the  progressive  teachers 
of  his  part  of  the  state.  During  his  educational  experience  Mr. 
Phillips  had  charge  of  a  number  of  the  best  schools  in  the  county 
and  his  retention  for  many  successive  terms  in  the  same  districts 
speaks  well  for  his  ability  as  a  teacher  and  for  his  popularity  with 
pupils  and  patrons.  Among  the  various  places  where  he  exercised 
his  pedagogic  talents  were  the  schools  at  Dryden,  Hicks'  Chapel, 
Pleasant  Grove,  Opdyke,  where  he  was  principal  for  four  years; 
one  year  as  principal  of  the  west  side  schools  of  Mount  Vernon,  and 
ten  successive  years  in  the  home  district,  Shiloh  township. 

Mr.  Phillips  continued  his  school  work  with  gratifying  success 
until  the  year  1902,  when  he  was  nominated  by  the  Republican 
party  for  County  Clerk,  to  which  office  he  was  elected  in  the  fall 
of  that  year,  defeating  his  opponent  by  a  majority  of  three  hundred 
and  fifty-four  votes,  and  being  the  only  successful  candidate  on  his 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,   ILL.  557 

ticket,  and  the  second  Republican  since  the  county  was  organized 
to  be  thus  honored.  Prior  to  his  election  to  the  clerkship  he  held 
various  township  offices  and  acquitted  himself  creditably  in  the  dis- 
charge of  the  duties  of  the  same,  his  record  in  these  positions,  to- 
gether with  valuable  services  rendered  his  party,  leading  to  his  nomi- 
nation and  election  to  the  important  trust  he  now  so  ably  and  honor- 
ably fills. 

The  better  to  attend  to  the  duties  of  his  office  Mr.  Phillips  in 
1902  moved  to  Mount  Vernon  though  he  still  owns  his  farm  in 
Shiloh  township  and  keeps  in  close  touch  with  its  management.  His 
election  to  one  of  the  most  important  positions  in  the  gift  of  the  peo- 
ple, despite  the  overwhelming  majority  of  the  opposition,  is  certainly 
a  compliment  to  his  ability  and  worth,  and  so  fully  did  he  meet  the 
high  expectations  of  his  friends  and  justify  the  trust  reposed  in  him 
that  at  the  expiration  of  his  term  in  1 906  he  was  re-nominated  and 
again  triumphantly  elected.  Mr.  Phillips  is  methodical  in  the  man- 
agement of  his  office,  courteous  and  obliging  to  all  with  whom  he 
transacts  business  and  it  is  universally  conceded  by  Democrats  as 
well  as  Republicans,  that  the  county  has  never  been  served  by  a 
more  capable,  painstaking  and  obliging  official. 

The  domestic  life  of  Mr.  Phillips  dates  from  1885,  on  October 
1  st  of  which  year  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Jeanette  Lacey, 
daughter  of  Samuel  Lacey,  of  Long  Prairie,  Jefferson  county,  a 
lady  in  every  respect  well  fitted  to  be  the  companion  of  such  an  in- 
telligent and  public-spirited  husband.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Phillips  are 
the  parents  of  eight  children,  whose  names  and  dates  of  birth  are  as 
follows:  Pearl  A.,  born  September  22,  1887,  now  the  wife  of  Ed- 
ward Burnett,  of  Mount  Vernon;  Wendell  B.,  January  30,  1892, 
deceased;  Fern,  April  24,  1894;  Dorothy  D.,  December  5,  1897; 
Cora  L.,  November  I,  1901;  Elberta  M.,  September  19.  1903; 
Mary  J.,  March  14,  1905;  and  William  M.,  who  was  born  April 
9,  1908. 


558  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Phillips  belongs  to  the  Knight  of  Pythias, 
Modern  Woodmen,  the  Court  of  Honor,  the  Order  of  Ben  Hur. 
He  is  a  firm  believer  in  revealed  religion  and  for  a  number  of  years 
has  been  a  sincere  and  respected  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  with  which  denomination  his  wife  also  is  identified. 


ALEXANDER  RIVENBURGH,  D.  D.  S. 

A  striking  feature  of  our  American  civilization  is  the  cosmopol- 
itan character  of  its  people.  We  find  here,  blended  into  one  har- 
monious whole,  elements  so  varied  and  unlike  that  it  seems  scarcely 
less  than  a  miracle  that  they  should  lose  themselves  in  ihe  greater 
unit  without  sacrificing  more  of  their  individuality.  The  rugged 
Puritan,  with  his  high  ideals  and  stern  views  of  life,  found  himself 
free  to  realize  in  the  concrete  what  he  set  up  for  himself  as  the  goal 
of  life,  while  the  cavalier  of  the  Southland  made  the  wilderness 
bloom  as  the  rose,  and  reproduced  in  genuine  style  the  lingering 
vestiges  of  a  bygone  chivalry.  To  both  of  those  elements  we  owe 
much  of  the  glory  to  which  we  have  attained  and  each  figures  ex- 
tensively in  the  foundation  structure  of  our  commonwealth.  To  the 
Puritans  in  particular  are  we  indebted  for  the  magnificent  achieve- 
ments in  literature,  science,  art  and  religious  thought  that  are  so  in- 
tricately interwoven  in  the  warp  and  woof  of  our  ideal  and  aspira- 
tions. 

It  is  to  this  class  that  belonged  the  ancestors  of  Dr.  Alexander 
Rivenburgh,  one  of  the  well  known  citizens  of  Jefferson  county.  He 
was  bom  in  Ripon,  Wisconsin,  in  1857,  the  son  of  Henry  Riven- 
burgh, who  was  a  native  of  New  York  state,  having  removed  to 
Wisconsin  prior  to  the  Civil  war,  remaining  there  until   1874,  at 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO..  ILL.  559 

which  time  he  changed  his  residence  to  Chicago,  where  he  ended 
his  days.  Peter  Rivenburgh,  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was,  in 
point  of  relationship  not  far  removed  from  the  Van  Rensellaers,  the 
Knickerbockers  and  Livingstons,  of  New  York,  and  traces  one  part 
of  his  ancestral  line  to  the  very  members  of  the  Mayflower  group. 
Doctor  Rivenburgh's  mother,  Anna  (Brown)  Rivenburgh, 
was  also  of  English  extraction.  She  is  also  deceased.  Our  subject 
was  the  youngest  of  the  family  and  he  spent  his  early  days  in  Ripon, 
Wisconsin.  When  a  small  boy  his  parents  removed  to  Sparta,  Wis- 
consin, where  Alexander  attended  the  public  schools,  graduating 
from  the  high  school  there  in  1874,  when  the  family  moved  to  Chi- 
cago. He  entered  the  Chicago  Medical  College,  from  which  he 
graduated.  Following  this  Doctor  Rivenburgh  went  to  Boston.  He 
soon  made  commendable  headway  and  continued  in  practice  there 
for  two  years.  He  then  came  to  New  York  City,  continuing  his 
medical  career  there  for  one  year,  after  which  he  returned  to  Boston 
and  took  up  the  practice  of  dentistry.  He  continued  at  this  for  two 
years  and  built  up  an  extensive  business,  having  for  patrons  promi- 
nent families  of  the  city.  However,  the  great  distance  from  his  own 
people  disturbed  his  contentment  and  he  finally  decided  to  return 
to  the  Middle  West,  where  his  relatives  were.  Upon  his  return  to 
Chicago  he  took  up  the  study  of  dentistry  and  made  a  vigorous 
and  thorough  preparation  for  his  work,  graduating  from  the  Chicago 
College  of  Dental  Surgery.  He  established  an  office  in  the  city  of 
Chicago  and  soon  built  up  a  lucrative  practice,  developing  unusual 
skill  through  his  thorough  methods  and  scientific  grasp  of  his  work. 
He  continued  in  his  profession  until  1 906,  when  he  came  to  Mount 
Vernon.  Here  he  opened  up  an  office  for  the  practice  of  dentistry 
in  the  Columbia  Block,  at  the  corner  of  Columbia  and  North  streets. 
His  equipment  is  second  to  none  in  the  city,  and  Doctor  Rivenburgh 
readily  established  for  himself  thriving  business. 


560  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

The  doctor  first  married  Miss  Jennie  W.  Gardner,  of  New 
Haven,  Connecticut,  who  is  deceased.  One  son,  Gardner  Alex- 
ander, graced  this  union.  Our  subject's  second  wife  was  Miss  Agnes 
Schnitzke,  of  Waukesha,  Wisconsin,  a  woman  of  refined  tastes  and 
culture. 

Doctor  Rivenburgh  resides  on  his  farm,  which  is  located  two 
and  one-half  miles  south  of  Mount  Vernon.  It  is  a  beautiful  resi- 
dence and  bears  in  every  way  the  marks  of  intelligent  and  tasteful 
supervision.  It  has  an  atmosphere  of  sociability  and  impresses  the 
visitor  with  its  conveniences  and  carefully  planned  arrangements. 

Doctor  Rivenburgh  takes  an  active  interest  in  the  welfare  of 
the  community  and  has  brought  to  bear  on  the  public  mind  the  re- 
sults of  his  wide  experience  in  previous  years.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity  and  also  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  affil- 
iates with  the  Baptist  denomination. 


HON.  WILLIAM  C.  BLAIR. 

The  distinguished  lawyer  and  honored  official  whose  name  ap- 
pears at  the  head  of  this  article  holds  worthy  prestige  among  the 
leading  men  of  his  profession  in  Southern  Illinois  and  for  a  number 
of  years  has  not  only  figured  prominently  in  the  affairs  of  Jef- 
ferson county,  but  made  his  influence  felt  in  various  ways  throughout 
the  entire  state.  Judge  William  C.  Blair  was  born  May  24,  1861, 
at  Nashville,  Illinois,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Mary  J.  Blair, 
both  natives  of  Missouri  and  early  settlers  of  Washington  county, 
Illinois,  the  father  locating  south  of  Nashville  about  the  year  1827 
and  subsequently  taking  up  his  residence  in  that  town.  He  was  a 
mason  by  trade  and  worked  at  stone  and  brick  laying  in  Nashville 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  561 

and  elsewhere  until   1872,  when  he  removed  to  Jefferson  county, 
where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days. 

Francis  Blair,  the  judge's  grandfather,  a  Georgian  by  birth, 
and  representative  of  an  old  Irish  family  that  came  to  America  in  an 
early  day,  settled  in  Georgia,  went  to  Missouri  many  years  ago  and 
later  changed  his  residence  to  Washington  county,  Illinois,  where 
in  due  time  he  became  a  prominent  citizen. 

The  judge's  mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Mary  J.  Grain, 
and  who  as  already  indicated,  was  a  native  of  Missouri,  belonged 
to  an  old  family  that  migrated  to  that  state  in  an  early  period  from 
Tennessee.  She  accompanied  her  parents  to  Illinois  as  long  ago  as 
1827  and  grew  to  maturity  in  Washington  county,  where  she  mar- 
ried William  Blair,  and  in  due  time  became  the  mother  of  eleven 
children,  seven  of  whom  are  living,  namely:  Mrs.  Nancy  Parker, 
of  Mount  Vernon;  Mrs.  Garoline  Piercy,  of  Jefferson  county; 
James  R.,  a  prominent  railroad  man,  formerly  president  of  the  Chi- 
cago, Rock  Island  &  Pacific  Railroad  Company,  with  headquarters 
at  Kansas  City,  Missouri;  Miss  Sallie  Love,  of  lola,  Kansas;  Wil- 
liam C,  of  this  review;  Prof.  Francis  G.  Blair,  of  Springfield,  Illi- 
nois, superintendent  of  public  instruction;  Mrs.  Minnie  Phillips, 
wife  of  Rev.  C.  R.  Phillips,  of  Metropolis,  this  state.  The  deceased 
members  of  the  family  were,  Thomas  L.  and  George  W.,  the  others 
dying  in  infancy. 

Judge  Blair  spent  his  childhood  at  Nashville  and  when  a  mere 
lad  removed  with  his  parents  to  Jefferson  county,  where  he  grew  to 
manhood  and  with  the  history  of  which  his  subsequent  life  has  been 
very  closely  identified.  He  was  reared  to  farm  labor,  enjoyed  such 
educational  advantages  as  the  country  school  afforded  and  while 
still  a  youth  decided  to  make  the  law  his  life  work.  Accordingly  he 
took  up  the  study  after  the  labors  of  the  day  were  over  and  spent 
the  evenings  pouring  over  his  books,  frequently  devoting  the  greater 


562  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

part  of  the  night  digging  into  and  unravelling  the  mysteries  of  legal 
science.  In  this  way  he  prosecuted  his  studies  and  researches  until 
his  admission  to  the  bar  in  1896,  since  which  time  he  has  devoted 
his  attention  very  closely  to  his  profession  in  which  his  career  has 
been  eminently  successful  and  in  the  highest  degree  creditable.  In 
1892  he  was  elected  police  magistrate  of  Mount  Vernon,  which 
position  he  held  four  years,  when  he  was  further  honored  by  being 
elected  State's  Attorney,  proving  one  of  the  ablest  and  most  suc- 
cessful prosecutors  the  county  of  Jefferson  ever  produced. 

As  a  lawyer  Judge  Blair  easily  stands  among  the  leaders  of  his 
calling  in  Jefferson  county  and  in  the  line  of  criminal  practice  has 
few  peers  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state,  his  high  reputation  m 
this  branch  of  the  profession  causing  a  demand  for  his  services  in 
many  of  the  most  important  trials  in  his  own  and  neighboring  coun- 
ties for  years  past.  During  the  past  fifteen  years  he  has  been  em- 
ployed in  a  number  of  noted  murder  trials  in  different  parts  of  the 
state,  and  in  the  majority  of  which,  although  opposed  by  a  formid- 
able array  of  the  ablest  talent  obtainable,  he  secured  verdicts  for  his 
clients  and  added  to  his  reputation  as  a  shrewd,  tactful  lawyer  and 
forceful  and  eloquent  advocate.  The  judge  has  practiced  in  nearly 
every  county  of  Southern  Illinois  and  is  as  successful  in  other 
branches  of  the  profession  as  in  the  one  to  which  his  talents  have  been 
especially  devoted,  his  name  appearing  in  connection  with  much  im- 
portant litigation  in  his  own  and  other  counties  since  engaging  in 
the  practice. 

Politically  the  judge  is  pronounced  in  his  allegiance  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  Democracy,  stands  high  in  the  councils  of  his  party  and 
there  has  not  been  a  campaign  within  recent  years  in  which  he  was 
not  subject  to  call  for  service  and  in  which  he  was  not  found  dili- 
gently assisting  every  nominee  of  the  party's  ticket.  His  active 
political  work  covers  a  period  of  twenty  years,  during  which  time 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  563 

his  voice  has  been  heard  and  his  influence  felt  in  every  part  of  Jef- 
ferson county  besides  valuable  services  rendered  the  cause  of  Democ- 
racy in  district  affairs  and  masterly  leadership  on  state  and  national 
campaigns.  His  ability  as  a  forceful  and  eloquent  speaker  has  long 
been  recognized  and  appreciated,  and  as  a  member  of  the  joint 
state  committee.  In  the  campaign  of  1 896  he  v^'as  sent  to  meet  and 
answer  leading  Republican  orators  in  various  parts  of  the  state.  His 
familiarity  with  the  political  history  of  the  state  and  nation  together 
with  his  shrewdness  and  tact  as  a  leader,  and  commanding  influence 
as  a  master  of  assemblages,  renders  him  a  skillful  and  powerful 
antagonist,  the  pride  of  his  friends  and  the  dread  of  his  political  foes 
in  discussing  the  leading  questions  at  issue. 

In  the  year  1906  Judge  Blair  was  elected  to  represent  the 
Forty-Sixth  District  in  the  General  Assembly  and  as  a  member  of 
that  body  rendered  valuable  services  to  his  constituents  and  to  the 
state,  taking  an  active  and  influential  part  in  the  deliberations  of  the 
chamber  and  serving  as  a  member  of  important  committees.  He  has 
been  one  of  the  leaders  of  his  party  in  the  Legislature  but  in  the 
discharge  of  his  duties  frequently  loses  sight  of  party  interest  in  his 
efforts  to  promote  the  general  welfare  of  the  people  and  it  is  a  con- 
servative statement  to  say  that  the  Forty-sixth  District  has  never  had 
an  abler  or  more  faithful  and  conscientious  representative.  His 
course  as  a  law  maker  meeting  the  approval  of  his  party,  he  was  re- 
nominated in  1 908  and  in  the  election  of  that  year  he  was  triumph- 
antly elected  by  an  increased  majority. 

Judge  Blair  in  the  year  1883  entered  the  marriage  relation 
with  Miss  Laura  E.  Johnson,  daughter  of  Leander  C.  and  Martha 
Johnson,  natives  of  Indiana  and  Illinois,  respectively.  The  union 
resulting  in  the  birth  of  five  children,  namely :  Ethel  May,  wife  of 
George  H.  Stein,  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  where  the  husband  is  prac- 
ticing law;  Mary  J.,  living  at  home;  Katherine  L.,  a  teacher  in  the 


564  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

public  schools  of  Mount  Vernon;  William  Lee,  a  student  in  the 
high  school  of  the  same  place,  and  Albert  W.,  who  is  pursuing  his 
studies  in  the  city  schools.  Judge  and  Mrs.  Blair  have  a  host  of 
warm  friends  and  admirers  in  the  city  of  their  residence  and  are 
highly  esteemed  in  the  social  circles  of  the  community.  They  belong 
to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  in  the  good  work  of  which  they 
are  both  active  and  influential  and  all  laudable  means  to  alleviate 
suffering  and  distress  enlist  their  hearty  co-operation  and  support. 
Fraternally  the  judge  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows  and  Knights  of  Pythias,  in  both  of  which  he  has  held  im- 
portant official  positions  from  time  to  time  and  he  is  also  identified 
with  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles,  the  Court  of  Honor  and  Mod- 
ern Woodmen. 


WILTON  C.  WILLIS. 


The  efficient  and  popular  Treasurer  of  Jefferson  county  and  a 
native  son  of  the  same,  was  born  in  Shiloh  township  on  the  1 3th  day 
of  February,  1 869.  A  descendant  of  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  in 
this  part  of  the  state  and  possessing  not  a  few  of  the  sterling  quali- 
ties of  manhood  for  which  his  ancestors  were  noted,  he  has  not  only 
sustained  the  high  reputation  which  they  always  enjoyed  but  by  a 
life  of  usefulness  and  a  character  above  reproach,  has  added  to  the 
brightness  of  the  family  escutcheon  and  the  honor  of  the  name.  John 
J.  Willis,  the  subject's  father,  a  farmer  and  well  known  contractor, 
is  also  a  native  of  Jefferson  county,  born  September  1  1,  1842.  He 
was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits  and  when  nineteen  years  of  age 
responded  to  the  President's  call  for  volunteers  by  enlisting  in  Com- 
pany I.  Forty-ninth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  being  subsequently 
transferred  to  Company  K,  and  served  with  his  command  till  the 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  565 

close  of  the  Civil  war.  He  experienced  much  active  duty  and  took 
part  in  all  the  battles  and  skirmishes  in  which  his  regiment  was  en- 
gaged, including  Shiloh,  seige  and  capture  of  Vicksburg.  Nashville 
and  many  other  notable  actions,  in  all  of  which  he  bore  himself  as 
a  brave  and  gallant  soldier,  ready  at  any  time  to  face  danger  and  if 
need  be  sacrifice  his  life  for  the  perpetuity  of  the  Union. 

When  a  young  man  John  J.  Willis  married  Miss  Sarah  A. 
Casey,  whose  people  moved  many  years  ago  from  Virginia  to  Ten- 
nessee and  from  the  latter  state  to  Southern  Illinois,  being  among  the 
earliest  pioneers  of  Jefferson  county.  Green  P.  Casey,  the  father  of 
Mrs.  Willis,  for  many  years  a  highly  esteemed  citizen,  has  gone  to 
his  reward. 

Thomas  J.  Willis,  the  subject's  paternal  grandfather,  was  born 
and  reared  in  Maryland  but  early  migrated  to  Ohio,  where  he  re- 
sided for  a  few  years  and  then  moved  to  Jefferson  county,  Illinois, 
settling  on  land  in  Shiloh  township,  which  he  cleared  and  transferred 
into  a  good  farm  and  which  is  now  owned  by  Wilton  C.  He  was  a 
true  type  of  the  sturdy  pioneer  of  the  olden  time  and  in  addition  to 
cultivating  the  soil,  shipped  produce  at  intervals  by  flat  boat  on  the 
Ohio  river,  doing  a  fair  business.  He  had  two  sons,  and  his  wife  by 
a  previous  marriage,  was  the  mother  of  two  children,  all  of  whom 
accompanied  the  parents  to  the  new  home  m  the  West  and  assisted 
in  cleaning  and  developing  the  farm.  Thomas  J.  Willis  lived  to  a 
good  old  age,  dying  in  the  year  1 882 ;  his  wife  has  also  been  called 
to  the  other  world. 

Wilton  C.  Willis  spent  his  childhood  and  youth  on  the  family 
homestead  in  Shiloh  township,  and  early  became  familiar  with  the 
rugged  duties  of  the  farm.  He  grew  up  a  strong  and  vigorous  lad 
and  under  the  wholesome  influence  of  outdoor  life  and  the  discipline 
which  comes  from  activity  in  cultivating  the  soil,  acquired  habits  of 
industry  and  self-reliance  which  furnished  a  substantial  foundation 


566  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

for  his  subsequent  success  as  a  farmer  and  trusted  servant  of  the 
people.  After  receiving  a  good  common  school  education  he  de- 
voted his  attention  exclusively  to  agriculture  and  in  due  time  began 
farming  upon  his  own  responsibility,  which  honorable  calling  he  fol- 
lowed with  success  and  financial  profit  until  elected  to  the  position 
he  now  holds  in  the  year  1 906. 

Mr.  Willis  came  in  possession  of  the  family  homestead  some 
years  ago  and  still  owns  the  same.  He  has  made  many  improve- 
ments on  the  place  and  it  is  now  one  of  the  best  farms  in  the  township 
of  Shiloh,  being  admirably  situated  and  well  adapted  for  both  agri- 
culture and  pasturage.  As  a  farmer  Mr.  Willis  ranks  with  the  most 
enterprising  men  of  his  calling  in  the  county,  cultivating  the  soil  ac- 
cording to  the  most  approved  modern  methods,  conducting  his  af- 
fairs on  business  principles  and  seldom  failing  to  realize  liberal  re- 
turns from  time  and  labor  expended  on  his  land. 

He  began  taking  an  interest  in  public  matters  when  a  mere 
youth  and  became  one  of  the  well  informed  and  wide-awake  young 
men  of  his  neighborhood.  In  due  time  he  became  cognizant  of  the 
fact  that  to  be  a  true  American  citizen  one  must  needs  be  a  politician. 
Accordingly  he  posted  himself  in  the  issues  of  the  day  and  espous- 
ing the  principles  of  the  Republican  party  soon  rose  to  a  position  of 
influence  in  his  township  and  in  time  was  looked  upon  not  only  as  a 
safe  political  leader,  but  as  an  available  candidate  for  public  favors. 
In  1 906  he  entered  the  race  for  County  Treasurer  and  receiving  the 
nomination  at  the  hands  of  his  party,  put  forth  his  efforts  in  the  cam- 
paign of  that  year,  defeating  his  opponent  by  a  decisive  majority  de- 
spite the  fact  that  the  county  was  normally  Democratic  by  a  safe 
margin. 

Turning  his  farm  over  to  the  care  of  others,  he  took  charge  of 
the  office  at  the  proper  time  and  moving  his  family  to  Mount  Vernon 
has  since  made  the  city  his  place  of  residence.     Mr.  Willis  has  dem- 


'  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  567 

onstrated  ability  of  a  high  order  in  the  mangement  of  his  office  and 
the  manner  in  which  he  has  looked  after  one  of  the  people's  most 
important  interests  has  met  the  expectations  not  only  of  his  friends 
and  party  associates,  but  of  the  public  at  large,  irrespective  of  po- 
litical affiliations.  Capable  in  all  the  term  implies  and  faithful  as 
well,  he  lets  nothing  interfere  with  his  duties  and  thus  far  his  official 
record  is  without  a  stain,  being  creditable  to  himself  and  an  honor 
to  the  county  which  he  serves.  His  personal  popularity  is  uncon- 
fined  by  party  lines  and  the  ability  displayed  in  the  position  he  now 
holds,  it  is  believed,  will  lead  untimately  to  higher  official  honors 
and  doubtless  to  a  wider  field  than  the  circumscribed  limits  of  a 
single  county. 

Mr.  Willis  on  the  3th  day  of  April,  1890,  entered  the  mar- 
riage relation  with  Miss  Lou  Roach,  who  was  born  and  reared  in 
Jefferson  county.  Her  father,  David  Roach,  being  a  su'bstantial  and 
representative  citizen  of  Casner  township.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Willis 
have  one  child,  a  daughter  by  the  name  of  May,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred on  January  1 5tb,  of  the  year  1 901 ,  and  in  whom  are  centered 
many  fond  hopes  and  bright  anticipations  for  the  future. 


HON.  ANDREW  DUFF  WEBB. 

A  man  of  sterling  worth  and  high  professional  attainments,  who 
has  been  honored  by  his  fellow  citizens  with  positions  of  responsi- 
bility and  trust,  the  subject  of  the  sketch  occupies  an  important  place 
in  public  view  and  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  his 
day  in  the  county  of  Jefferson.  According  to  the  most  reliable  data 
obtainable  the  founders  of  the  Webb  family  in  Illinois  appear  to 
have  been  Eli  and  Lazarus  Webb,  who  migrated  from  Virginia  as 
early  as  the  year  I  790,  and  settled  on  the  prairie  in  Franklin  coun- 


568  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

ty,  which  in  compHment  to  them  has  since  been  called  Webb's  Prai- 
rie, being  among  the  first  men  in  that  part  of  the  state.  Eli  Webb,  the 
older  of  the  two,  was  a  true  type  of  the  sturdy  pioneer  of  the  age  in 
which  he  lived  and  nobly  bore  his  share  of  the  labor  and  responsi- 
bility incident  to  the  settlement  and  development  of  a  new  country  and 
lived  to  see  Franklin  county  redeemed  from  a  primitive  wilderness  to 
the  fair  and  flourishing  conditions  for  which  it  has  long  been  noted.  He 
became  a  sucessful  farmer  and  influential  citizen  and  reared  a  large 
family  of  sixteen  children,  among  whom  was  a  son  by  the  name  of 
Elijah  T.,  who  grew  to  manhood  in  Franklin  county,  and  in  early 
life  entered  the  ministry  of  the  Baptist  church  and  in  due  time  rose 
to  a  position  of  prominence  and  wide  influence  in  that  denomination. 
He  preached  in  various  parts  of  Illinois,  organized  churches  in  a 
number  of  counties  and  in  addition  to  religious  work  was  also  inter- 
ested in  the  cause  of  education,  having  been  one  of  the  founders  of 
Ewing  College,  in  Franklin  county,  and  a  trustee  of  the  institution 
to  the  day  of  his  death.  He  also  served  a  number  of  years  as  Coun- 
ty Surveyor,  besides  taking  an  active  part  in  inaugurating  and  fur- 
thering measures  and  enterprises  for  the  material  advancement  of  the 
country  while  all  laudable  movements  having  for  their  object  the  so- 
cial, intellectual  and  moral  improvement  of  his  fellow  men  enlisted 
his  hearty  co-operation  and  support. 

Elijah  T.  Webb  was  born  in  1818,  the  year  Illinois  was  ad- 
mitted to  statehood,  and  lived  an  active  and  eminently  useful  life  of 
sixty-one  years,  dying  on  the  14th  day  of  January,  1879.  His  wife, 
who  bore  the  naiden  name  of  Nancy  Clark,  was  also  a  native  of 
Franklin  county  and  a  descendant  of  an  old  and  well  known  Ken- 
tucky family,  which  settled  in  that  part  of  the  state  in  pioneer  times 
and  became  actively  identified  with  its  growth  and  subsequent  his- 
tory. Mrs.  Webb  was  a  woman  of  high  character  and  many  ex- 
cellent qualities,  not  a  few  of  which  have  been  reproduced  in  her 
descendants  who  are  now  among  the  most  enterprising  and  highly 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO..  ILL.  569 

esteemed  people  of  their  respective  places  of  residence.  She  bore 
her  husband  fourteen  children  and  departed  this  life  at  the  age  of 
sixty-one  years,  in  1884. 

Of  the  large  family  born  to  Rev.  Elijah  T.  and  Nancy  Webb, 
seven  survive,  namely:  Mrs.  Elijah  J.  Link,  Mrs.  Emeline  Pierce, 
Mrs.  Thomas  Neal,  Eli,  John  C,  Andrew  D.,  of  this  review,  and 
Robert  L.  The  following  are  the  names  of  those  deceased:  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  King,  Albert  C.  Webb,  formerly  a  prominent  member  of 
the  Jefferson  County  Bar;  Dr.  L.  M.  Webb,  a  physician  and  sur- 
geon of  Mount  Vernon,  and  four  children  that  died  in  infancy  un- 
named. 

Andrew  Duff  Webb,  the  youngest  but  one  of  the  above  named 
family,  was  born  in  Franklin  county,  Illinois,  January  4,  1864,  and 
spent  his  childhood  and  youth  on  the  old  homestead  on  Webb's 
Prairie,  where  he  early  became  familiar  with  the  varied  duties  of  the 
farm.  After  remaining  with  his  parents  and  attending  the  public 
schools  at  intervals  until  his  fifteenth  year,  he  entered  Ewing  Col- 
lege, where  he  pursued  his  studies  for  a  period  of  five  years,  when 
he  became  a  student  of  Shurtliff  College,  Upper  Alton,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  in  1884.  With  a  substantial  intellectual  founda- 
tion Mr.  Webb  began  life  for  himself  well  fitted  for  its  duties  and 
responsibilities  and  during  the  year  following  his  graduation  gave  his 
attention  to  the  insurance  business,  in  which  he  met  with  fair  success. 
Later  he  taught  school  one  year  in  Morgan  county  and  after  de- 
voting the  same  length  of  time  to  educational  work  in  Aspen,  Colo- 
rado, he  returned  to  Illinois  and  took  up  the  study  of  law  at  Mount 
Vernon  in  the  office  of  his  brother,  with  whom  he  remained  until 
his  admission  to  the  bar  in  1 889. 

Mr.  Webb  brought  to  his  profession  a  well  disciplined  mind 
and  his  abilities  being  duly  recognized  he  soon  built  up  a  lucrative 
practice  and  achieved  an  honorable  reputation  as  a  capable  and 
painstaking  lawyer.     In  1895  he  was  appointed  Master  in  Chancery 


570  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

for  Jefferson  county,  and  after  holding  the  office  two  years  with 
credit  to  himself  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  people  he  was  further 
honored  in  1897  by  being  elected  City  Attorney  of  Mount  Vernon, 
in  which  capacity  he  served  two  terms  and  the  duties  of  which  he 
discharged  with  ability  and  commendable  fidelity.  Later  he  served 
two  years  as  corporation  counsel  for  the  city,  during  which  time  he 
was  untiring  in  behalf  of  the  interests  of  the  municipality  and  in  1 906 
he  was  elected  Judge  of  Jefferson  county,  which  office  he  still  holds 
and  the  duties  of  which  he  has  discharged  ably  and  faithfully,  his 
administration  proving  eminently  satisfactory  and  adding  to  his  repu- 
tation as  a  sound  lawyer  and  judicious  public  servant. 

In  addition  to  his  legal  practice  and  official  duties  Judge  Webb 
is  interested  in  various  local  business  enterprises  including  the  Royal 
Loan  and  Building  Association  of  Mount  Vernon,  which  he  assisted 
to  organize  and  of  which  he  has  been  a  director  continuously  since 
it  was  established  in  the  year  1892.  He  also  has  an  interest  in  the 
C.  W.  Harris  abstract,  insurance  and  loan  business,  besides  being 
identified  with  all  measures  that  have  recently  been  put  forward  for 
the  material  growth  of  the  city,  and  the  advancement  of  the  com- 
munity along  social,  intellectual  and  moral  lines.  In  politics  the 
judge  is  an  uncompromising  Democrat,  active  and  zealous  in  uphold- 
ing his  principles  and  to  his  exertions  as  much  as  to  those  of  any  of 
his  compeers  is  due  the  success  of  the  party  in  Jefferson  county. 

■Judge  Webb  is  not  only  a  leading  member  of  the  Mount  Ver- 
non Bar  and  the  peer  of  any  of  his  professional  brethren  in  all  that 
constitutes  an  able  and  progressive  lawyer,  but  he  has  also  found  a 
most  capable  and  faithful  official  while  his  high  standing  as  a  court- 
eous gentleman  and  public-spirited  citizen  have  gained  for  him  a 
reputation  which  bespeaks  still  greater  public  honors  as  the  years 
go  by.  A  gentleman  of  scholarly  tastes  and  high  ideals,  a  reader 
and  thinker  and  careful  student  of  current  events.     He  keeps  in 


■■  wall's   history  of  JEFFERSON   CO.,   ILL.  571 

touch  with  the  trend  of  modern  thought  and  is  an  influential  factor 
in  the  intellectual  circles  of  his  city  as  well  as  a  moulder  of  opinion 
on  matters  of  political  and  public  import.  He  is  a  thirty-second  de- 
gree Mason  and  takes  an  active  interest  in  the  deliberations  of  the 
order,  throughout  its  various  branches,  being  a  leading  member  of 
the  local  lodge  with  which  he  is  identified,  besides  holding  the  high 
position  of  grand  lecturer  of  the  Grand  Royal  Arch  Chapter  of  Illi- 
nois, being  one  of  the  three  Masons  m  the  state  thus  honored.  He 
also  belongs  to  the  Order  of  Modern  Woodmen  and  the  Court  of 
Honor  and  in  religion  holds  to  the  Baptist  faith,  belonging  with  his 
wife  to  the  First  Baptist  church  of  Mount  Vernon  and  demonstrat- 
ing by  his  daily  life  the  sincerity  of  his  profession  as  a  disciple  of  the 
Nazarene. 

On  March  14,  1888,  was  solemnized  the  marriage  of  Judge 
Webb  and  Miss  Clara  B.  Green,  daughter  of  S.  R.  Green,  of 
Cobden,  Illinois,  a  union  blessed  with  six  children,  whose  names  and 
dates  of  birth  are  as  follows:  Roger  B.,  June  5,  1890;  Helen.  April 
19,  1892;  George,  March  14,  1894;  Alice,  October  11,  1896; 
Clarella,  December  17,  1900,  and  Andrew  D,  who  was  born  on 
March  3d  of  the  year  1 904. 


H.  R.  KINGMAN. 


The  founder  of  the  family  of  this  name  in  Illinois  was  P.  E. 
Kingman,  a  native  of  Boston,  Massachusetts,  who  was  a  railroad 
contractor  of  prominence  and  built  many  of  the  roads  in  the  West. 
It  was  in  1858  that  he  left  the  East,  accompanied  by  his  son,  A.  H. 
Kingman,  then  a  boy  of  tender  years.  The  latter,  after  growing  up 
at  Dubuque,  Iowa,  entered  the  banking  business  and  was  cashier  of 


572  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

the  First  National  Bank  of  Dubuque  for  many  years.  In  1 880  he 
went  to  North  Dakota  and  engaged  in  the  wholesale  grocery  busi- 
ness at  Fargo.  After  remaining  there  four  years,  he  came  to  Chi- 
cago and  was  one  of  the  owners  of  the  Mosley  Folding  Bath  Tub 
Company,  but  eventually  sold  out  his  interest  and  in  1902  located 
in  Mount  Vernon,  making  his  home  with  his  son.  His  health  fail- 
ing, he  started  north  in  hopes  of  recuperating,  but  died  in  Chicago 
on  his  way  in  1 906.  He  married  Lucretia  McArthur,  a  native  of 
Hudson,  New  York,  who  came  West  with  her  parents  in  youth. 
She  is  now  residing  in  Brooklyn,  New  York.  Two  of  their  five 
children  died  in  infancy,  the  surviving  being:  H.  R.,  Mrs.  J.  L.  Hitz 
and  Mrs.  E.  S.  Shields,  both  of  Chicago. 

H.  R.  Kingman,  the  eldest  of  the  children,  was  born  in  Du- 
buque, Iowa,  in  1 874,  and  obtained  his  elementary  education  in  the 
schools  of  Chicago,  including  the  grammar  grade,  the  high  school, 
the  manual  training  and  the  Armour  Institute.  In  the  last  mentioned 
institution,  he  took  the  course  in  electrical  engineering.  In  1895  he 
accepted  a  position  with  the  Western  Electric  Company,  of  Chi- 
cago, and  remained  with  this  firm  for  four  years.  His  next  engage- 
ment was  with  the  Deering  Harvester  Company,  in  whose  employ 
he  conducted  special  investigations  to  ascertain  the  suitability  of  cer- 
tain domestic  fibers  for  making  binder-twine  and  also  in  the  devel- 
opment of  machinery  for  this  branch  of  manufacturing.  After  a 
year  with  this  concern,  he  was  engaged  with  the  McCormick  Com- 
pany for  two  years  in  the  same  capacity.  In  1 902  he  became  inter- 
ested in  the  then  defunct  municipal  light  and  water  plant  of  Mount 
Vernon,  organized  a  company,  took  over  the  entire  outfit  and  added 
a  gas  and  central  station  heating  plant.  Chiefly  through  his  efforts 
the  resurrected  business  was  made  first  class  in  every  respect  and  the 
city  furnished  with  excellent  and  satisfactory  service.  The  company 
is  now  on  a  substantial  basis  and  enjoying  a  prosperous  business. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  573 

When  he  took  charge  the  reservoir  was  wholly  inadequate,  but  in 
its  place  has  been  constructed  an  up-to-date  reservoir  with  a  capacity 
of  three  hundred  million  gallons,  drawn  from  a  lake  three-fourths  of 
a  mile  long,  a  fourth  of  a  mile  wide  and  covering  seventy  acres.  It 
is  situated  four  miles  north  of  the  city  and  is  fully  equal  to  all  de- 
mands for  private  or  public  consumption.  Being  thus  so  well 
equipped  with  this  indispensable  necessity  of  life,  the  thriving  city  of 
Mount  Vernon  is  able  to  negotiate  with  advantage  for  new  factories 
by  offering  an  absolute  guarantee  of  an  abundance  of  water.  The 
offices  of  the  Gas,  Electric  &  Heating  Company  are  on  the  ground 
floor  of  the  Third  National  Bank  Building  and  Mr.  Kingman  holds 
the  position  of  secretary  and  treasurer. 

In  1899  Mr.  Kingman  married  Miss  EUzabeth,  daughter  of 
H.  B.  Clement,  who  came  West  with  his  family  from  Albany,  New 
York.  Mr.  Clement,  who  was  a  druggist,  located  in  Chicago  and 
died  there  in  the  spring  of  1907.  His  son.  Dr.  F.  M.  Clement,  is 
a  well  known  physician  of  Chicago.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kingman  have 
two  children:  Marion,  born  in  February,  1900,  and  Helen,  born  in 
May,  1902.  Mr.  Kingman  has  been  remarkably  successful  in  all 
his  undertakings,  has  exhibited  energy  and  skill  of  an  unusual  order 
and  is  regarded  by  his  associates  as  a  business  man  of  the  first  class. 
His  tastes  are  domestic,  his  private  life  quiet  and  unobtrusive  and  he 
finds  his  chief  enjoyment  in  the  home  circle. 


WILBUR  H.  GILMORE,  M.  D. 

Having  lost  his  father  by  an  accident  in  his  native  country  of 
England,  John  J.  Gilmore  was  brought  to  America  when  a  child 
by  his  grandmother,  who  located  in  St.  Louis.    After  reaching  man- 


574  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

hood,  he  became  identified  with  the  Pullman  Palace  Car  Company 
and  spent  his  whole  business  life  in  Missouri,  but  he  died  at  Fort 
Worth,  Texas,  in  1891.  He  married  Harriet  Ann  Jackson,  born 
near  Knoxville,  Tennessee,  who,  two  years  subsequent  to  the  death 
of  her  husband,  removed  to  Mount  Vernon  and  purchased  the  prop- 
erty now  known  as  the  Mahaffy  Hotel,  which  she  conducted  until 
October  18, 1 898,  when  she  also  joined  the  great  majority.  In  March, 
1893,  she  contracted  a  second  marriage  with  John  F.  Mahaffy.  By 
her  first  union  she  had  two  children:  John  J.,  who  died  in  1890, 
and  Wilbur  H.,  who  was  born  in  St.  Louis,  October  10,  1879,  and 
who  came  with  his  mother  at  the  time  of  her  removal  from  Missouri. 
He  received  his  primary  education  in  the  schools  of  the  last  men- 
tioned city,  at  Fort  Worth  and  Mount  Vernon.  After  a  course  in 
the  high  school  here  he  entered  the  University  at  Lincoln,  Illinois, 
and  remained  there  one  year.  In  the  fall  of  1 899  he  matriculated 
in  the  University  of  Michigan  for  a  course  in  the  medical  depart- 
ment, to  which  he  devoted  two  years.  After  this  he  entered  Jeffer- 
son Medical  College  at  Philadelphia  and  was  graduated  in  1903 
with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine.  Locating  first  at  Punxsut- 
awney,  Pennsylvania,  he  associated  himself  with  Dr.  W.  F.  Beyer 
for  a  while  but  on  January  1.  1905,  removed  to  Mount  Vernon, 
where  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Dr.  J.  W.  Hamilton,  which  has 
continued  up  to  the  present  time.  Previous  to  his  graduation  he  had 
studied  medicine  with  his  subsequent  partner  during  the  summers  of 
1900-01-02.  Doctor  Gilmore  is  recognized  as  a  surgeon  of  un- 
usual ability  and  has  met  with  success  in  all  his  work  in  that  line.  He 
is  of  pleasing  address,  of  good  family  and  possesses  an  excellent  gen- 
eral education.  He  has  deserved  and  received  well  merited  recogni- 
tion in  the  line  of  his  profession.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Jefferson 
County  Medical  Society,  in  which  he  holds  the  position  of  secretary 
and  treasurer.     He  also  holds  membership  in  the  Illinois  State  Med- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  575 

ical  Society  and  the  Southern  lUinois  Medical  Society,  the  Surgeon's 
Club  of  Rochester,  Minnesota,  also  member  of  American  Associa- 
tion of  Railway  Surgeons.  His  recognized  ability  has  brought  him 
employment  as  physician  of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Rail- 
road and  examining  surgeon  for  the  Illinois  Commercial  Association. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 

December  21,  1904,  he  was  married  to  Beatrice,  daughter  of 
Dr.  S.  S.  Hamilton,  of  Punxsutawney,  Pennsylvania,  and  his  wife 
also  enjoys  the  distinction  of  a  medical  degree.  Their  only  child 
was  born  April  21,1 907,  and  was  christened  John  Hamilton  Gil- 
more.  The  family  is  quite  popular  in  the  social  circles  of  Mount 
Vernon  and  the  doctor  enjoys  a  wide  acquaintance  throughout  the 
state. 


LOUIS  G.  PAVEY. 


Mr.  Pavey  is  cashier  of  the  Ham  National  Bank,  Mount  Ver- 
non, and  a  representative  of  one  of  the  most  distinguished  families  of 
Jefferson  county,  was  born  in  the  city  of  which  he  is  now  a  resident, 
on  the  19th  day  of  October,  1869.  His  father,  Gen.  C.  W.  Pavey, 
of  whom  a  notice  appears  elsewhere  in  these  pages,  was  a  prominent 
pioneer  and  later  became  one  of  the  leading  men  of  Illinois,  serving 
at  one  time  as  Auditor  of  State  and  otherwise  taking  an  active  and 
distinguished  part  in  public  affairs.  Isabella  F.  Pace,  wife  of  Gen- 
eral Pavey,  and  mother  of  the  subject,  was  also  of  a  prominent 
family  the  history  of  which  and  that  of  Jefferson  county  being  very 
closely  identified. 

Louis  G.  Pavey  received  his  early  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  Mount  Vernon  and  later  entered  the  State  University 
at  Champaign,  where  he  prosecuted  his  studies  until  completing  the 


576  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

prescribed  course  and  made  a  creditable  record  as  a  student.  Leav- 
ing that  institution  he  labored  for  some  time  on  the  home  farm,  but 
subsequently  discontinued  tilling  the  soil  to  become  a  salesman  in  his 
father's  store.  General  Pavey  having  been  elected  Auditor  of  State 
in  1 888.  Louis  G.  the  following  year  entered  the  office  as  Warrant 
Clerk,  a  position  of  great  responsibility  for  a  young  man  still  in  his 
minority.  After  serving  four  years  under  his  father,  Mr.  Pavey  re- 
tired from  the  office  and,  going  to  Chicago,  accepted  a  position  with 
the  Illinois  Trust  and  Savings  Bank,  where  he  demonstrated  abilities 
of  a  high  order,  discharging  his  duties  with  credit  to  himself  and  to 
the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  managers  of  the  institution,  who  parted 
with  his  services  with  much  regret  when  he  saw  fit  to  sever  his  con- 
nection with  the  bank. 

Returning  to  Mount  Vernon,  Mr.  Pavey  became  identified 
with  the  Ham  National  Bank,  one  of  the  leading  institutions  of  the 
kind  in  Southern  Illinois,  and  is  still  connected  therewith  holding 
the  important  and  responsible  position  of  cashier,  besides  taking  an 
active  interest  in  the  general  management  of  the  business.  An  ac- 
complished accountant,  and  financier  with  a  thorough  knowledge  of 
monetary  affairs  and  familiar  with  every  detail  of  the  business  with 
which  he  is  identified,  Mr.  Pavey  occupies  a  prominent  place  among 
the  financiers  of  the  state  and  stands  high  in  the  esteem  of  all  with 
whom  he  comes  into  contact.  From  the  beginning  of  his  career  to 
the  present  time,  his  record  has  been  eminently  honorable  and  up- 
right, never  having  swerved  from  the  path  of  rectitude,  and  he  has 
always  proved  able  to  discharge  worthily  the  responsibilities  resting 
upon  him  in  stations  demanding  the  highest  order  of  business  talent. 
He  has  labored  faithfully  and  earnestly  to  promote  the  interests  of 
the  important  institution  with  which  he  is  connected,  subordinating 
every  other  consideration  to  this  one  object  and  it  is  conceded  that 
much  of  the  success  which  has  characterized  the  growth  of  the  bank 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  577 

during  the  years  of  his  incumbency  is  directly  attributable  to  his 
energy,  sound  judgment  and  systematic  methods. 

Mr.  Pavey  was  united  in  marriage  November  17,  1901,  with 
Miss  Martha  Ham,  daughter  of  Hon.  C.  D.  Ham  (see  sketch),  and 
occupies  a  beautiful  modern  residence  in  the  historic  Grant  Place, 
which  is  a  favorite  resort  for  the  most  cultured  and  refined  social  cir- 
cles of  the  city.  Himself  and  wife  are  greatly  esteemed  for  their 
many  excellent  qualities  of  mind  and  heart,  popular  among  those 
with  whom  they  mingle  and  few  if  any  command  more  mfluence  in 
the  social  and  intellectual  life  of  Mount  Vernon,  or  have  shown 
themselves  as  worthy  of  the  regard  in  which  they  are  held. 

In  politics  Mr.  Pavey  is  a  Republican,  but  not  a  partisan  nor 
office-seeker,  nevertheless  he  takes  an  active  interest  in  the  success 
of  his  party,  keeps  in  close  touch  with  the  leading  questions  and 
issues  of  the  times,  on  all  of  which  he  has  well  defined  opinions 
and  the  courage  of  his  convictions  and  weilds  an  influence  in  public 
affairs  second  to  that  of  few  of  his  compeers.  Religiously,  the  Meth- 
odist church  holds  his  creed,  himself  and  his  wife  being  respected 
members  of  the  Mount  Vernon  congregation  and  liberal  contribu- 
tors to  its  support,  also  to  various  lines  of  benevolent  and  charitable 
work  in  which  both  manifest  an  earnest  and  abiding  interest. 


J.  W.  HAMILTON,  M.  D. 

Occupying  a  prominent  position  among  the  leading  physicians 
and  surgeons  of  Southern  Illinois  and  coming  prominently  into  the 
ranks  of  the  successful  self-made  men  of  the  state  is  the  gentleman 
whose  name  stands  for  the  head  of  this  sketch.  Dr.  J.  W.  Hamil- 
ton is  a  native  of  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  born  April  24,   1871, 

37 


578  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

near  Knob  Prairie,  where  hi,s  grandfather  settled  about  the  year 
1839,  being  among  the  early  pioneers  of  that  part  of  the  country. 
Josiah  A.  Hamilton,  the  doctor's  father,  was  born  in  Brown  coun- 
ty, Ohio,  but  when  four  years  of  age  was  brought  by  his  parents  to 
Illinois.  The  family  settled  originally  near  McLeansboro,  Hamil- 
ton county,  and  three  years  later  removing  thence  to  Jefferson  county 
and  founding  a  home  at  the  north  end  of  Knob  Prairie. 

Josiah  Hamilton  was  reared  a  farmer  and  in  due  time  became 
one  of  the  successful  men  of  his  calling  in  his  community  as  well  as 
one  of  the  county's  widely  known  and  highly  esteemed  citizens.  He 
served  in  Company  K,  Thirty-second  Illinoish  Volunteer  Infantry, 
during  the  late  Civil  war,  saw  much  active  service  and  earned  an 
honorable  record  as  a  soldier.  Resuming  agricultural  pursuits  on 
returning  from  the  army,  he  continued  the  same  on  his  farm  near 
Knob  Prairie  until  within  a  short  time  before  his  death  when  he 
changed  his  residence  to  the  town  of  Ina,  where  in  August,  1877, 
he  passed  from  earth. 

When  a  young  man  Josiah  Hamilton  married  Miss  Hannah 
E.  Boswell,  who  was  born  at  Knob  Prairie,  in  1834,  and  is  still 
living  near  the  place  where  she  first  saw  the  light  of  day,  retaining 
to  a  remarkable  degree  the  possession  of  her  faculties  both  physical 
and  mental.  She  bore  her  husband  ten  children,  six  of  whom  grew 
to  mature  years,  of  which  one,  Mrs.  Elnora  Webb,  the  third  in 
order  of  birth,  has  since  died.  Those  living  at  this  time  are  Orange 
Hamilton,  of  Waltonville,  Jefferson  county ;  Mrs.  Lucretia  Mannen, 
who  lives  at  the  same  place;  Vincent  Hamilton,  of  Sheller,  Illinois; 
Charles,  of  Emerton  City,  and  Dr.  J.  W.,  whose  name  introduces 
this  review. 

The  doctor's  grandfather  was  Orange  Hamilton,  a  native  of 
New  York  City,  and  as  already  stated,  a  pioneer  of  Jefferson  coun- 
ty, locating  near  Knob  Prairie  in  a  very  early  day  and  taking  an 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  579 

active  and  influential  part  in  the  material  development  of  his  section 
of  the  country.  By  occupation  he  was  a  tiller  of  the  soil  and  as 
such  ranked  among  the  most  enterprising  and  successful  of  the  coun- 
ty, besides  attaining  commendable  standing  as  a  neighbor  and  citi- 
zen. He  developed  a  good  farm,  provided  comfortably  for  his 
family  and  departed  this  life  about  the  year  1857,  honored  and  re- 
spected by  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 

The  early  life  of  Doctor  Hamilton  was  spent  on  the  family 
homestead  near  Knob  Prairie  and  when  a  mere  boy  he  learned  by 
practical  experience  the  true  significance  of  honest  toil  and  the  value 
of  industry  as  a  means  of  attaining  an  honorable  position  in  the  world. 
He  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  after  attending  the  public  schools 
until  his  seventeenth  year  began  teaching,  to  which  useful  calling  he 
devoted  his  attention  until  his  twenty-first  year,  meeting  with  flatter- 
ing success  the  meanwhile  and  achieving  an  honorable  reputation 
as  a  capable  and  painstaking  instructor.  Having  decided  to  make 
the  medical  profession  his  life  work,  he  entered  shortly  after  attain- 
ing his  majority  the  office  of  Dr.  A.  J.  Fitzgerald,  of  Knob  Prairie, 
where  he  prosecuted  his  studies  for  one  year  and  in  1 902  became  a 
student  of  Barnes  Medical  College  of  St.  Louis,  which  he  attended 
during  the  three  years  ensuing  and  from  which  he  was  graduated 
March  17,  1905. 

On  receiving  his  degree  Doctor  Hamilton  began  the  practice 
of  his  profession  at  Ina,  Illinois,  but  after  a  year  and  a  half  at  that 
place  he  found  a  wider  and  more  inviting  field  for  the  exercise  of 
his  talents  in  the  city  of  Mount  Vernon,  where  he  has  since  practiced 
with  encouraging  success  and  where  he  now  has  a  large  and  lucra- 
tive professional  business,  which  is  rapidly  growing  in  magnitude 
and  importance.  For  about  one  and  a  half  years  he  was  in  partner- 
ship with  Dr.  Harold  Gee,  but  at  the  expiration  of  which  time  be- 
came associated  with  Doctor  Gilmore,  the  firm  thus  constituted  being 


580  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

still  maintained  and  at  the  present  time  among  the  best  known  part- 
nerships of  the  kind  not  only  in  Mount  Vernon  and  Jefferson  county, 
but  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state. 

Doctors  Hamilton  and  Gilmore  have  finely  equipped  offices  in 
the  Youngblood  building,  where  every  implement  and  device  of 
modern  surgery  is  to  be  found,  also  the  latest  results  of  medical  re- 
search. Both  gentlemen  being  critical  students  and  in  close  touch 
with  everything  relating  to  their  profession.  While  eminently  suc- 
cessful in  the  general  practice  they  make  a  specialty  of  surgery,  to 
which  they  have  devoted  much  time  and  careful  study  and  in  which 
they  have  achieved  more  than  local  repute,  being  recognized  as  the 
leading  surgeons  of  their  city  and  among  the  most  skillful  and  suc- 
cessful in  the  state. 

Doctor  Hamilton  is  still  a  young  man  but  he  belongs  to  the 
school  of  advanced  thought  and  has  spared  neither  pains  nor  ex- 
pense to  acquire  proficiency  in  his  noble  work  and  become  a  true 
benefactor  of  the  race.  He  has  met  with  financial  success  com- 
mensurate with  the  energy  and  skill  displayed  in  his  practice  and 
is  now  not  only  one  of  the  ablest  physicians  and  surgeons  of  the  city 
in  which  he  resides,  but  also  one  of  its  well-to-do  men  and  enter- 
prising public-spirited  citizens.  Doctor  Hamilton  is  a  member  of 
the  Jefferson  County  Medical  Society,  in  the  deliberations  of  which 
he  takes  a  prominent  and  influential  part  and  also  belongs  to  the 
Medical  Society  of  Southern  Illinois,  which  he  is  now  serving  as 
president.  In  addition  to  those  two  bodies  he  is  identified  with 
various  other  organizations  including  the  Illinois  State  Medical  So- 
ciety, the  Ohio  Valley  Medical  Society,  the  American  Medical  As- 
sociation, the  American  Association  of  Railway  Surgeons  and  holds 
a  life  membership  with  the  Surgeons  Club  of  Rochester,  Minnesota. 
In  connection  with  his  large  and  steadily  growing  practice  he  has 
been  for  twelve  years  surgeon  of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO..  ILL.  581 

Railroad  Company,  and  is  not  infrequently  called  long  distances  to 
perform  operations  requiring  a  high  order  of  surgical  talent.  The 
doctor  IS  a  Democrat  but  finds  little  time  to  devote  to  political  mat- 
ters, although  deeply  interested  in  public  affairs  and  familiar  with 
the  leading  questions  and  issues  upon  which  men  and  parties  divide. 
He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 
during  the  past  twelve  years  and  is  also  identified  with  the  order  of 
Woodmen,  the  Court  of  Honor,  the  Maccabees  and  the  Knigths  of 
Pythias,  holding  the  title  of  past  chancellor  in  the  last  named  so- 
ciety. He  has  never  aspired  to  office  or  leadership  among  his  fellow 
citizens  and  with  the  exception  of  serving  three  years  on  the  city 
school  board  has  held  no  public  position. 

On  the  26th  day  of  April,  1891 ,  Doctor  Hamilton  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Cora  Webb,  daughter  of  Daniel  R.  Webb, 
of  Horse  Prairie,  Jefferson  county,  a  union  blessed  with  two  chil- 
dren, Clarence  O.,  born  December  18,  1892,  and  Willma  Opal, 
whose  birth  occurred  on  June  30th,  of  the  year  1 896.  Doctor  and 
Mrs.  Hamilton  are  well  known  in  the  social  life  of  Mount  Vernon 
and  stand  high  in  the  esteem  of  the  best  people  of  the  city  and 
county.  They  are  interested  in  all  humanitarian  measures  for  the 
amelioration  of  suffering  and  distress,  contribute  liberally  to  charit- 
able institutions  and  private  benevolences. 


B.  A.  MARSHALL. 


The  founder  of  the  Illinois  family  of  this  name  was  John  Mar- 
shall, a  native  of  Virginia,  who  was  noted  as  a  sturdy,  discreet  and 
industrious  farmer,  blessed  with  an  abundance  of  good  common 
sense.     He  removed  with  his  family  to  Illinois  and  finally  ended  his 


582  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

earthly  career  at  Atwood,  in  1 860.  During  a  previous  residence  in 
Ohio  his  son,  C.  G.  Marshall,  was  born  and  after  growing  up  set- 
tled in  Shelby  county,  Illinois,  in  1866.  In  early  life  he  had  learned 
the  trade  of  millwright,  but  in  later  years  took  up  the  practice  of 
medicine,  which  he  prosecuted  with  success.  In  1871  he  removed 
to  Arthur,  Illinois,  where  he  died  four  years  later.  He  married 
Elizabeth  Griggs,  whose  parents  came  from  New  Jersey  to  New 
Lexington,  Ohio,  where  she  was  born.  Her  death  occurred  in  1 898 
at  Macksville,  Piatt  county,  Illinois.  The  children  by  this  union 
were:  Mrs.  Malissa  Ridge,  of  Hindsboro,  Illinois;  Rachael,  de- 
ceased; the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Mrs.  Anna  M.  Dawson,  de- 
ceased; Harriet  C.  Spelbring,  of  Ida  Grove,  Iowa,  and  Elias  P. 
Marshall,  of  Sentinel,  Oklahoma. 

B.  A.  Marshall,  the  third  of  this  family  in  order  of  birth,  was 
bom  at  New  Lexington,  Ohio,  December  2,  1850.  His  boyhood 
was  spent  in  Ohio,  Atwood,  Illinois  and  Mexia,  Texas,  his  school- 
ing being  obtained  chiefly  at  Macksville,  Illinois.  After  leaving 
school  he  was  engaged  in  farming  for  twelve  years  in  Douglas  and 
Piatt  counties,  Illinois.  In  1 880  he  was  appointed  a  postal  clerk  in 
the  railway  mail  service,  but  resigned  this  position  after  four  years' 
tenure.  Two  more  years  at  farming  was  followed  by  a  trip  to 
Texas,  where  two  years  were  spent  in  Mexia.  The  next  move  was 
to  Vernon,  in  the  Panhandle  and  during  his  sojourn  in  the 
Lone  Star  State,  he  engaged  in  the  real  estate  and  loan  business, 
holding  for  a  while  the  position  of  state  examiner  of  securities  for 
the  Texas  Loan  Agency  at  Corsicana.  September  9,  1903,  after 
a  residence  in  Texas  of  six  years,  he  came  to  Mount  Vernon,  where 
he  has  since  resided  and  continuously  engaged  in  the  real  estate  busi- 
ness. He  assisted  in  the  organization  of  the  Mount  Vernon  State 
and  Savings  Bank,  of  which  he  became  assistant  cashier,  and  when 
this  institution  was  consolidated  with  the  Third  National  Bank,  Mr. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  583 

Marshall  was  made  director.  He  is  now  associated  with  G.  L. 
Staley  in  the  real  estate  business  and  the  firm  is  among  the  leading 
dealers  in  realty  in  Southern  Illinois.  They  own  a  large  amount  of 
real  estate,  including  farms  and  other  kinds  of  property  in  this  line. 
Mr.  Marshall  enjoys  high  rank  as  a  business  man  of  fair  dealing 
and  may  justly  boast  that  he  has  never  been  sued  or  brought  suit 
against  others.  He  takes  an  active  interest  in  politics  and  was  at 
one  time  nominee  of  the  Republican  party  for  Mayor  of  Mount 
Vernon.  He  served  two  years  in  the  City  Council  during  the  term 
of  Mayor  Williams.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
and  Court  of  Honor. 

August  3,  1870,  Mr.  Marshall  was  married  to  Martha  A. 
Shonkwiler,  an  Illinois  descendant  of  Indiana  parents.  The  five 
children  resulting  from  this  union  were,  Nora  A.,  deceased;  M.  C, 
foreman  of  the  roundhouse  at  Sapulpa,  Oklahoma;  Hattie  C,  wife 
of  W.  C.  Plummer,  a  railway  mail  clerk,  residing  at  Newton,  Kan- 
sas; Myrtle,  wife  of  Morton  E.  Sleet,  bookkeeper  for  the  Armour 
Packing  Company  at  the  Union  stockyards  in  St.  Louis;  Ralph  H., 
bookkeeper  for  the  St.  Louis  Coffee  &  Spice  Wholesale  House,  is  a 
graduate  of  the  Mount  Vernon  high  school  and  the  business  col- 
lege in  Quincy,  Illinois.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Marshall  are  members  of 
the  First  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


GEORGE  E.  GREEN. 

We  have  here  a  sample  of  the  farm  boy  making  his  way  to  the 
city  and  achieving  remarkable  popularity  both  in  politics  and  busi- 
ness. It  furnishes  additional  proof  of  the  frequent  claim  made  in 
the  press,  that  cities  receive  their  best  blood  from  the  farm,  the  train- 


584  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

ing  and  discipline  of  the  agricultural  life  providing  a  moral  and 
physical  stamina  that  forms  the  basis  of  strong  characters.  The 
Green  family  have  long  been  known  in  Jefferson  county,  where  they 
have  led  the  quiet  and  industrious  lives  characteristic  of  the  tiller  of 
the  soil  in  the  great  Mississippi  valley.  Barnette  Green,  a  native 
of  Blissville  township,  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm,  went  through 
the  usual  school  discipline  of  the  country,  learned  the  routine  of 
farming  and  in  time  himself  became  a  general  farmer  and  stock 
raiser.  He  was  much  respected  by  his  neighbors,  prospered  in  his 
business  and  was  much  lamented  when  his  blameless  life  was  termi- 
nated December  6,  1897.  He  married  Martha,  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam and  Margaret  (Taylor)  Page,  also  a  native  of  Jefferson  coun- 
ty. The  old  Jewish  prayer  for  a  large  family  was  vouchsafed  to  this 
worthy  couple  as  before  her  death,  November  1 0.  1 893,  Mrs.  Green 
had  become  the  mother  of  eleven  children:  Margaret,  deceased; 
N.  H.,  of  Jefferson  county;  Mrs.  Mary  Eliza  Fox,  a  resident  of 
Jefferson  county;  James  B.,  deceased;  Mrs.  Sarah  VanDyke,  de- 
ceased; Mrs.  Delia  Taylor,  of  Jefferson  county;  M.  J.,  of  Chicago; 
Albert  M.,  Supervisor  of  Blissville  township;  George  E.,  subject 
of  this  sketch;  John  E.,  deceased,  and  Charles  E.,  of  New  York 
City. 

George  E.  Green,  the  ninth  in  order  of  birth  of  this  numerous 
progeny,  was  born  in  Blissville  township,  Jefferson  county,  Illinois, 
July  15.1 868.  He  spent  his  boyhood  on  the  parental  farm,  learned 
what  hard  work  meant,  picked  up  considerable  practical  knowledge 
as  he  walked  the  furrows  and  some  theoretical  information  from  the 
country  schools,  which  he  attended  in  winter.  When  a  young  man 
he  left  the  homestead  to  spend  a  year  with  his  brother  who  was  in 
business  in  St.  Louis.  Returning  home  he  was  elected  when  a  young 
man,  to  the  office  of  Assessor  of  his  native  township,  which  position 
he  held  for  seven  years  in  succession.     In  1 900  he  became  a  citizen 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  585 

of  Mount  Vernon,  and  in  1905  was  elected  City  Clerk,  carrying 
every  ward  in  the  town  and  two  years  later  was  re-elected  by  al- 
most the  same  landslide,  this  time  only  losing  one  ward  and  that  by 
a  single  vote.  He  is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  but  not  an  active  work- 
er, his  race  for  clerk  being  made  on  the  People's  ticket.  It  will  thus 
be  seen  that  Mr.  Green's  poularity  as  a  farmer's  boy  was  fully  sus- 
tained as  a  resident  of  the  city.  He  does  some  insurance  business, 
but  his  duties  as  City  Clerk  occupy  the  most  of  his  time.  Mr.  Green 
belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Benevolent  and  Protective 
Order  of  Elks  and  for  many  years  has  been  a  member  of  the  First 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.     He  has  never- married. 


EUGENE  M.  PEAVLER. 

Our  subject,  who  is  City  Attorney  of  Mount  Vernon,  and  one 
of  the  leading  members  of  the  Jefferson  County  Bar,  is  a  native  of 
Illinois,  and  the  son  of  the  late  Dr.  James  Warren  and  Victoria 
Peavler,  the  father  for  many  years  a  successful  physician  and  sur- 
geon and  influential  citizen.  Gabriel  Peavler,  the  subject's  grand- 
father, was  born  January  27,  1813,  on  the  Holstein  river  in  Sulli- 
van county,  Tennessee,  where  his  parents,  Jacob  and  Margaret 
(Stewart)  Peavler,  natives  of  Virginia,  settled  in  an  early  day. 
On  the  paternal  side  the  family  is  of  German  extraction,  the 
Stewarts  coming  from  Ireland  in  Colonial  times  and  settling  in  the 
Old  Dominion  state.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  War  of  1812, 
Jacob  Peavler  joined  a  Virginia  regiment  and  while  serving  at  his 
post  of  duty  fell  a  victim  to  an  epidemic  as  did  also  thousands  of 
his  comrades.  Gabriel  being  but  seven  years  old  at  the  time  of  his 
father's  death,  the  mother  dying  five  years  later,  the  boy  at  the  age 


586  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

of  twelve  was  "bound  out"  to  a  man  by  the  name  of  Allen,  at  Mon- 
tecelio,  Kentucky,  to  learn  the  trade  of  making  and  laying  brick, 
which  vocation  he  followed  for  many  years  in  various  parts  of  Ken- 
tucky and  other  states.  Later  he  engaged  in  farming  in  connection 
with  which  he  also  conducted  a  mercantile  establishment  in  Wash- 
ington county,  Indiana,  to  which  state  he  removed  in  the  meantime 
and  in  which  he  lived  until  changing  his  residence  in  1 850  to  Clark 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  continued  the  same  pursuits  for  a  period 
of  six  years. 

At  the  expiration  of  the  time  indicated  Mr.  Peavler  removed 
to  Jefferson  county  and  purchased  land  near  Spring  Garden  where, 
in  due  season,  he  became  a  successful  farmer  and  prominent  citizen, 
owning  at  one  time  four  hundred  and  firty-six  acres  of  fine  land. 
He  married  in  Washington  county,  Indiana,  November  27,  1834, 
Miss  Nancy  McKinney,  daughter  of  Alexander  and  Susannah 
(Turner)  McKinney,  natives  of  Virginia  and  early  settlers  of 
Washington  county,  the  union  resulting  in  the  birth  of  twelve  chil- 
dren. 

Gabriel  Peavler  was  a  man  of  excellent  qualities,  honest, 
straightforward,  industrious  and  one  of  the  large  farmers  and  in- 
fluential citizens  of  Jefferson  county  during  the  period  of  his  resi- 
dence in  this  part  of  the  state.  A  sincere  Christian  and  devoted 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  he  did  much  by  word 
and  example  to  improve  the  words  of  his  community  and  was  long 
considered  a  model  of  upright  manhood  and  honorable  citizenship. 
He  lived  to  the  age  of  seventy-three,  dying  in  the  year  of  1892  at 
the  old  homestead  near  Spring  Garden  and  was  mourned  not  only 
by  his  relatives  and  neighbors  of  that  locality,  but  also  by  a  wide  cir- 
cle of  friends  and  acquaintances  throughout  the  entire  county.  Mrs. 
Peavler,  who  proved  a  fit  companion  and  helpmeet  for  such  a  worthy 
husband,  passed  to  her  reward  in  January,  1 895.     She  was  highly 


'  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  587 

esteemed  for  her  many  admirable  qualities.  In  early  life  she  united 
with  the  Methodist  church  and  for  many  years  was  a  sincere  and 
much  respected  member  of  that  communion  and  a  true  type  of  de- 
voted Christian  womanhood. 

Dr.  James  Warren  Peavler,  son  of  Gabriel  and  Nancy  Peav- 
ler,  was  a  native  of  Washington  county,  Indiana,  where  his  birth 
occurred  on  July  20,  1 840.  When  two  years  old  he  was  brought  to 
Illinois  by  his  parents  and  until  his  sixteenth  year  lived  in  Clark 
county,  where  he  attended  school  and  laid  the  foundation  of  his 
subsequent  career  of  honor  and  usefulness.  Removing  with  the  fam- 
ily in  1856  to  Jefferson  county  he  continued  his  studies  in  Spring 
Garden  township  for  ten  years  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  became  a 
teacher,  to  which  calling  he  devoted  his  attention  during  the  two 
years  ensuing.  When  twenty  years  old  he  began  the  study  of  medi- 
cine at  Mount  Vernon  in  the  office  of  his  cousin,  Dr.  H.  J.  Peavler, 
with  whom  he  remained  three  years  and  then  entered  the  medical  de- 
partment of  the  University  of  Michigan  from  which  institution  he 
was  graduated  in  1864.  After  receiving  his  degree  he  located  at 
Knobs  Prairie,  Jefferson  county,  where  he  practiced  with  marked 
success  for  five  years  and  at  the  expiration  of  that  period  went  to 
Chicago,  where  he  spent  one  year  in  professional  work,  during  which 
time  he  also  attended  lectures  in  one  of  the  leading  medical  colleges 
of  the  city.  Desiring  to  add  to  his  professional  knowledge  and  be- 
come in  the  true  sense  of  the  term  a  healer  of  human  ills.  Doctor 
Peavler  took  a  course  in  a  medical  college  in  St.  Louis,  from  which 
he  graduated  and  subsequently  attended  the  Eclectic  Medical  Col- 
lege of  Cincinnati,  from  which  he  also  received  a  degree.  He  spared 
no  pains  nor  expense  to  keep  abreast  of  the  times  in  his  profession, 
made  many  original  researches  and  investigations  in  medical  science 
and  was  for  many  years  the  best  known  and  among  the  most  suc- 
cessful physicians  and  surgeons  in  Jefferson  county. 


588  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

Doctor  Peavler  was  married  August  4,  1867,  to  Victoria 
Hagle,  daughter  of  John  W.  and  Mahala  (Boswell)  Hagle,  of 
Jefferson  county,  who  bore  him  seven  children,  namely:  Eugene  M., 
whose  name  introduces  this  sketch;  Mrs.  Minnie  Hamilton,  of  Ben- 
ton, Illinois;  Mrs.  Mazie  Boswell  (deceased)  ;  Ethel,  bookkeeper 
for  Record  &  Sons,  Mount  Vernon;  Hagle,  of  Chicago;  Clytie, 
superintendent  of  the  Mount  Vernon  Hospital,  and  Harry,  who 
died  in  infancy.  Doctor  Peavler  departed  this  life  at  Spring  Gar- 
den, December  31,  1891.  His  widow,  who  still  survives,  occupies 
the  old  home  place  in  Spring  Garden  township  and  is  spending  the 
evening  of  a  useful  life  in  the  midst  of  her  family  and  friends  who 
seem  to  vie  with  each  other  in  ministering  to  her  comfort  and  render- 
ing her  honor. 

Eugene  M.  Peavler,  to  a  review  of  whose  career  the  residue 
of  this  sketch  is  devoted,  was  born  in  old  Williamsburg,  Jefferson 
county,  on  June  29,  1 868,  and  spent  his  boyhood  under  the  parental 
roof  in  Spring  Garden  township,  receiving  his  early  educational  dis- 
cipline in  the  public  schools.  From  his  childhood  he  evinced  a  de- 
sire for  books  and  study  and  after  completing  the  common  branches, 
he  entered  the  Northern  Indiana  Normal  University  at  Valparaiso, 
where  he  devoted  four  and  a  half  years  to  close  and  critical  study, 
finishing  during  that  time  the  scientific  and  law  courses  and  attaining 
to  high  standing  as  a  student.  During  his  boyhood,  youth  and  young 
manhood  he  always  worked  upon  a  farm  during  vacations. 

With  a  mind  well  fortified  by  intellectual  and  professional 
training  Mr.  Peavler  after  securing  a  degree  from  the  above  institu- 
tions was  duly  admitted  to  the  bar  and  engaging  in  the  practice  at 
Benton,  Illinois,  soon  built  up  a  fairly  lucrative  legal  business.  After 
a  brief  period  at  that  place  he  found  a  wider  and  more  inviting  field 
for  the  exercise  of  his  talents  in  the  city  of  Mount  Vernon,  where  he 
forged  rapidly  to  the  front  among  the  rising  young  lawyers  of  the 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  589 

Jefferson  County  Bar  and  gained  his  proportionate  share  of  patron- 
age. His  progress  since  locating  at  the  county  seat  has  been  steady 
and  continuous  and  from  a  comparatively  modest  beginning  his  prac- 
tice has  grown  in  magnitude  and  importance  until  he  now  has  a  large 
and  lucrative  clientele,  including  many  of  the  best  people  of  the  city 
and  county,  while  his  services  are  frequently  in  demand  by  clients  in 
other  courts.  In  1905  he  was  elected  City  Attorney  and  so  ably  did 
he  discharge  his  official  functions  that  he  was  re-elected  two  years 
later  and  still  holds  the  position.  Since  entering  upon  the  duties  of 
his  office  Mr.  Peavler  has  been  untiring  in  behalf  of  the  interests  of 
the  people  and  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  the  present  city  adminis- 
tration is  by  far  the  best  and  most  satisfactory  in  the  history  of  the 
municipality. 

For  the  first  time  since  the  city  was  incorporated  the  liquor 
traffic  has  been  successfully  defeated  and  its  forces  routed,  but  not 
until  after  an  agitation  of  many  years,  during  which  the  contest  be- 
tween the  saloon  elements  and  the  friends  of  law  and  order  was  bit- 
ter in  the  extreme  and  the  cause  of  much  uneasiness  on  the  part  of 
the  civilly  disposed  of  the  populace.  Much  of  the  credit  for  this 
signal  victory  is  due  to  the  determined  efforts  of  the  able  City  At- 
torney, who  lead  the  fight  by  bringing  offenders  to  justice  and  by 
strictly  enforcing  the  law  until  he  finally  succeeded  in  abolishing  the 
traffic  and  inaugurating  an  era  of  law  and  order  which  has  since 
earned  for  Mount  Vernon  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  most 
peaceful  and  quiet  towns  of  its  size  in  the  state. 

Mr.  Peavler  has  also  heartily  seconded  the  administration  in  the 
matter  of  public  improvement,  which  includes  many  miles  of  street 
paving.  His  advice  in  the  law  relating  to  such  enterprises  being  es- 
pecially valuable  and  saving  the  city  much  expensive  litigation.  He 
has  been  much  in  the  public  view  and  as  a  lawyer  and  official  makes 
duty  paramount  to  every  other  consideration,  being  untiring  in  look- 


590 


WALLS   HISTORY  OF  JEFFERSON   CO.,    ILL. 


ing  after  the  interests  of  his  clients  and  equally  so  in  his  efforts  to 
promote  the  city's  material  advancement  and  the  moral  welfare  of 
the  people.     Mr.   Peavler's  legal  career  has  been  eminently  satis- 
factory and  as  already  indicated,  he  has  achieved  an  honorable 
standing    among   his  professional  brethren  of  the  local  bar  and  his 
friends  look  forward  to  a  bright  and  promising  future  in  which  he 
shall  win  additional  laurels  and  attain  to  still  higher  official  station. 
Ml.  Peavler  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  an  ac- 
tive and  influential  worker  in  the  lodge  to  which  he  belongs.     He 
was  married  September  29,  1 902,  to  Miss  Martha  Stites,  of  Tren- 
ton, Illinois,  a  lady  of  culture  and  refinement,  who  presides  over  his 
home  with  becoming  dignity  and  who  is  popular  in  the  best  society 
circles  of  the  city.    To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peavler  one  son  has  been  born, 
Warre  Stites.     Mr.  Peavler  is  a  broad  minded  man  of  liberal  ideas 
and  tendencies,  a  believer  in  progress  and  ready  at  all  times  to  lend 
his  best  efforts  to  promote  the  good  of  his  fellow  men.    His  personal 
popularity  extends  to  the  bounds  of  his  acquaintance  and  in  both 
public  and  private  life  he  fills  a  large  place  in  the  city  of  his  resi- 
dence where  he  is  numbered  among  the  notable  men  of  his  day  and 
generation. 


SAMUEL  D.  COOPER. 

Among  the  early  settlers  of  Ohio  county,  Indiana,  was  an  Eng- 
lishman by  the  name  of  Cooper.  He  left  a  son  named  Eli,  who, 
on  reaching  his  majority,  learned  the  trade  of  cooper.  He  lived  in 
his  native  state  until  1843,  when  he  removed  to  Crittenden  county, 
Kentucky,  where  he  remained  until  1847,  in  which  year  he  took  a 
load  of  barrels  to  New  Orleans.  This  was  the  period  of  the  great 
cholera  plague,  which  devastated  the  Crescent  City,  causing  the  loss 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  591 

of  thousands  of  lives  and  one  of  the  victims  was  the  Kentucky  cooper, 
who  took  sick  shortly  after  his  arrival  and  soon  perished  from  the 
deadly  disease.  In  early  life  he  had  married  Elsie  Wallingford,  a 
native  of  Maysville,  Kentucky,  who  died  in  1 854.  Of  their  six  chil- 
dren, Samuel  D.  is  the  only  survivor.  Alexander  died  in  1856, 
Mary  Ellen  in  1866,  Nancy  E.  in  1857,  Laura  L.  in  1898  and 
William  M.  in  1866. 

Samuel  D.  Cooper  was  born  near  Rising  Sun,  Ohio  county, 
Indiana,  February  14,  1842,  but  spent  his  early  life  in  Crittenden 
county,  Kentucky.  In  1861  in  joined  Company  K,  Third  Regi- 
ment Kentucky  Infantry,  commanded  by  Capt.  Thomas  Barnett, 
of  Crittenden  county,  and  served  two  years  and  five  months.  Being 
captured  at  Lafayette,  Kentucky,  he  took  the  oath  of  allegiance, 
came  north  and  settled  near  Mount  Vernon,  where  he  has  ever  since 
been  one  of  the  honored  citizens  of  Illinois.  For  three  years  he  was 
engaged  in  farming,  but  being  elected  Constable  of  Mount  Vernon 
township,  he  removed  to  town.  After  serving  four  years  as  Con- 
stable, he  was  elected  City  Marshal  of  Mount  Vernon,  in  which 
office  he  served  two  years.  Sheriff  Goodrich  appointed  him  to  the 
position  of  jailer  and  he  retained  this  office  for  ten  consecutive  years. 
In  1886  he  was  elected  Sheriff  of  Jefferson  county  on  the  Demo- 
cratic ticket  and  served  acceptably  in  this  important  office  for  four 
years.  After  retiring  from  the  Sheriff's  office  he  was  elected  Col- 
lector of  Mount  Vernon  and  later  was  chosen  Justice  of  the  Peace, 
in  which  capacity  he  served  seven  years,  when  he  resigned  to  accept 
the  position  of  Police  Magistrate,  which  had  been  conferred  upon 
him  by  popular  vote.  At  the  present  time  he  is  serving  his  second 
term  and  rounding  out  a  varied  career  of  office-holding,  which  has 
shown  at  once  his  efficiency  and  continually  growing  popularity. 

On  September  26,  1865,  Mr.  Cooper  was  married  to  Miss 
Martha,  third  daughter  of  Judge  John  R.  Satterfield,  of  Mount 


592  wall's  history  of  jefferson  cc,  ill. 

Vernon.  They  have  been  blessed  with  an  unusually  bright  family 
of  children,  of  whom  two  are  dead  and  five  living.  Of  the  latter, 
William  M.  Cooper,  the  eldest  child,  is  a  railroad  engineer  at  Mar- 
ble, Colorado ;  Eugene,  the  fourth  in  order  of  birth,  still  remains  at 
home;  Thomas  C,  the  fifth  child,  is  an  employe  of  the  Louisville 
&  Nashville  Railroad  at  Mount  Vernon,  and  Richard  T.  is  a  freight 
conductor  on  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  at  Carbondale,  Illinois; 
Vernon  S.,  the  youngest  child,  is  a  telegraph  operator  in  the  employ- 
ment of  the  Southern  Railroad  and  located  at  Mount  Vernon ;  Elsie 
E.,  the  second  child,  became  the  wife  of  Louis  Karcher,  of  Shaw- 
neetown,  Illinois,  but  is  now  deceased;  Laura  L.,  who  was  third  in 
order  of  birth,  is  also  numbered  among  the  dead;  Thomas  and  Rich- 
ard, who  are  twins,  served  for  a  year  as  soldiers  in  the  Spanish- 
American  war  and  the  former  afterward  spent  three  years  in  the 
Light  Artillery  service  of  the  United  States  army.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Cooper  are  members  of  the  Methodist  church. 


ARTHUR  T.  FRENCH. 

In  1832  Joseph  French,  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  settled 
about  nine  miles  northwest  of  Centralia,  Illinois,  and  for  three  years 
was  proprietor  of  a  tavern  on  the  old  stage  coach  line,  running  from 
Vincennes  to  St.  Louis.  He  died  during  the  fifties,  after  becoming 
the  father  of  thirteen  children,  a  number  of  his  sons  being  soldiers 
during  the  Civil  war  and  one  dying  in  the  Andersonville  prison.  One 
of  these  sons,  L.  B.  French,  who  was  born  in  Clinton  county,  Illinois, 
removed  to  Jefferson  county  in  1890.  He  was  engaged  in  the  gro- 
cery business  for  ten  years  in  Franklin  county  and  became  the  found- 
er of  the  town  of  Boulder,  in  Clinton  county,  which  he  served  as  the 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  593 

first  postmaster,  besides  conducting  other  lines  of  business  for  three 
years.  After  locating  at  Mount  Vernon,  he  was  employed  by  the 
Mount  Vernon  Car  Mnaufacturing  Company  in  various  capacities 
and  continued  with  this  concern  until  his  death,  which  occurred  Feb- 
ruary 2.  1902.  He  married  Mary  D.  Foster,  of  North  Carolina 
parentage,  who  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-seven,  at  Thompsonville, 
Illinois,  after  becoming  the  mother  of  three  children:  Nellie,  who 
died  in  1875,  at  the  age  of  six  years;  Arthur  T.  and  William,  who 
died  in  1882,  when  three  years  old. 

Arthur  T.  French,  the  only  survivor  of  this  family,  was  born 
at  Mattoon.  Illinois,  October  12,  1874.  and  was  completing  the 
fifth  year  of  his  age  when  he  suffered  the  loss  of  his  mother.  After 
going  through  the  lower  grades  in  his  native  place,  he  graduated 
from  the  Mount  Vernon  high  school  in  1895.  During  1897-98  he 
taught  literature  and  history  in  the  Mount  Vernon  high  school.  Dur- 
ing the  Spanish  war  he  enlisted  in  Company  F,  Fourth  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Infantry,  and  went  with  his  command  to  Cuba.  The  regiment 
was  stationed  at  different  times  in  Jacksonville,  Florida,  Havana 
and  other  points  in  Cuba,  being  attached  to  the  corps  of  Gen.  Fitz- 
hugh  Lee.  Besides  his  military  duties  Mr.  French  acted  as  court 
reporter  and  special  war  correspondent  for  the  Mount  Vernon  Daily 
Register,  to  which  paper  he  contributed  seventy-eight  letters  during 
his  absence.  While  at  Jacksonville  he  was  detailed  to  help  care  for 
the  sick  of  his  regiment,  there  being  over  six  hundred  cases  of  ty- 
phoid fever  among  the  members.  He  assisted  his  chaplain  in  writ- 
ing a  history  of  the  regiment  and  contributed  to  the  volume  a  poem 
entitled,  "Cuban  Isle,"  which  was  widely  copied  in  the  newspapers 
of  various  states.  Another  poem,  "Marching  Through  Cuba,"  was 
published  in  the  papers  of  St.  Louis  and  other  cities.  After  his  mus- 
ter out  at  Augusta,  Mr.  French  returned  to  Mount  Vernon  and 
taught  school  during  1899-1900.  In  the  fall  of  the  last  mentioned 
3S 


594  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

year  he  entered  the  Northern  Illinois  College  of  Law  and  in  1901 
was  graduated  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Laws.  His  ability  to 
finish  the  prescribed  course  in  one  year  was  due  to  the  fact  that  he 
had  previously  taken  a  correspondence  course  in  law,  which  familiar- 
ized him  with  the  elementary  principles  of  the  science.  On  May 
14  and  15,  1901,  he  took  the  bar  examination  at  Des  Moines, 
Iowa,  was  admitted  to  practice  and  opened  an  office  at  Cedar 
Rapids.  After  a  short  time  in  this  Iowa  city  he  returned  to  Mount 
Vernon,  took  the  bar  examination  in  December,  1901,  and  imme- 
diately resumed  practice  and  has  continued  the  same  up  to  the  present 
time.  Over  his  protest,  he  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace  on  the 
Republican  ticket  and  conducts  the  business  of  that  office  in  connec- 
tion with  his  general  practice.  His  fraternal  connections  are  exten- 
sive and  conspicuous.  For  five  years  he  served  as  secretary  of  the 
Modern  Woodmen,  for  four  years  as  master  of  finance  in  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  and  at  present  is  keeping  records  and  seals  in 
Jefferson  Lodge  No.  121,  of  the  same  order. 

On  October  12,  1904,  Mr.  French  was  married  to  Miss  Pearl 
Thompson,  of  Prophetstown,  Whiteside  county,  Illinois,  a  scion  of 
one  of  the  old  families  of  that  section.  The  home  farm  on  which  she 
was  born  has  never  been  out  of  the  family  name  since  it  was  entered 
from  the  government  in  pioneer  times.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  French  are 
members  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church  at  Mount  Vernon. 


GRANT  IRVIN. 


It  was  in  1820,  when  all  west  of  the  Alleghanies  was  still  a 
wilderness  that  Abraham  Irvin  decided  to  leave  his  home  in  Stod- 
dardville.  New  York,  and  seek  his  fortunes  amid  the  prairies  of  lUi- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  595 

nois.  After  the  usual  overland  trip  of  those  times,  Abraham  and  his 
four-year-old  son,  George  W..  reached  the  Ohio,  on  which  they 
floated  down  many  miles  with  a  raft  as  their  means  of  transportation. 
The  landing  was  made  at  Shawneetown  and  the  final  settlement  on 
a  farm  near  Macedonia,  in  Hamilton  county.  The  son  remained 
there  until  1836,  when  he  removed  to  Jefferson  county,  where  he 
made  his  home  for  thirty-six  years.  In  1 872  he  returned  to  Hamil- 
ton county,  but  after  an  absence  of  fifteen  years,  again  came  to  Jef- 
ferson county.  In  1 889  he  went  to  Sangamon  county,  where  he  re- 
mained until  his  death,  which  occurred  May  9,  1893.  He  married 
Sarah  Cleghorn,  a  native  of  Tennessee,  who  is  still  living  at  Mount 
Vernon.  Their  four  children  were:  Runyon.  deceased;  Mrs.  Mary 
Marsh,  of  Oklahoma;  Grant  and  Mrs.  Dora  Shirley,  of  Mount 
Vernon. 

Grant  Irvin,  the  third  of  the  children  in  order  of  birth,  was 
born  in  Moore's  Prairie,  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  November  10, 
1 868.  As  a  boy,  his  time  was  divided  by  experiences  on  the  farms 
in  Jefferson  and  Hamilton  counties,  and  he  alternately  attended 
the  schools  of  both  localities.  Taking  up  his  residence  at  the  county 
seat,  he  worked  for  three  years  in  the  Mount  Vernon  car  shops  and 
served  six  years  on  the  city  police  force.  He  was  elected  second 
lieutenant  of  a  company  in  the  Ninth  Regiment  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry,  with  which  he  did  service  during  the  Spanish-American 
war,  being  stationed  in  Cuba.  After  his  discharge  he  re-enlisted  and 
served  two  years  with  a  regiment  in  the  Philippines.  After  his  re- 
turn from  the  Orient  he  relocated  at  Mount  Vernon  and  has  served 
as  policeman  under  six  different  mayors.  In  1906  he  was  elected 
Sheriff  of  Jefferson  county  as  a  candidate  of  the  Republican  party, 
his  opponent  being  the  Marshal  of  Mount  Vernon,  under  whom  he 
was  then  serving  as  a  policeman.  His  fraternal  connections  are  with 
the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  order  of  Ben  Hur. 


596  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

On  May  1 ,  1 907,  Mr.  Irvin  was  married  to  Miss  Julia,  daugh- 
ter of  Wade  Hungate,  of  Hamilton  county.  Their  only  child  is  a 
boy  named  Runyon,  born  March  28,  1908.  Mrs.  Irvin  is  a  lady 
of  talent  and  accomplishments.  For  sixteen  years  she  taught  accept- 
ably in  the  public  schools  of  Mount  Vernon,  resigning  her  position 
in  order  to  marry  the  man  of  her  choice.  At  one  time  she  passed 
a  civil  service  examination  at  St.  Louis  and  ranked  third  in  a  class 
of  seventy-five  applicants.  She  is  a  member  of  the  First  Baptist 
church  at  McLeansboro.  There  are  no  more  popular  people  in 
Jefferson  county  than  Mr.  Irvin  and  his  clever  wife.  They  stand 
well  in  all  circles,  social,  educational,  business  and  political. 


GEN.  CHARLES  W.  PAVEY. 

Forty  years  ago  this  was  one  of  the  most  familiar  names  in  Illi- 
nois, made  so  by  the  distinguished  public  service  of  him  who  bore  it. 
His  activities  extended  over  a  wide  field,  including  notable  military 
service,  distinction  as  a  state  and  federal  official,  besides  prominence 
in  the  world  of  business  and  the  varied  duties  of  citizenship.  We 
hear  first  of  this  family  in  Kentucky,  where  Isaac  Pavey  was  set- 
tled for  some  years  but  eventually  removed  to  Highland  county, 
Ohio,  where  he  died  at  the  age  of  eighty  years.  His  son,  C.  T. 
Pavey,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  accompanied  his  father  to  Ohio  and 
became  a  prominent  partner  and  stockraiser  in  Highland  county, 
where  he  died  in  1 848.  He  married  Lucinda  Taylor,  a  descendant 
of  President  Zachary  Taylor,  and  they  had  six  children,  of  whom 
only  one  survives,  being  Charles  W.  Pavey,  who  was  born  in  High- 
land county,  Ohio,  November  8,  1835,  and  remained  on  his  father's 
farm  until  early  manhood.  He  acquired  the  ordinary  common  school 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  597 

education  by  attending  terms  near  home  and  in  the  schools  of  Green- 
field and  Athens.  His  first  business  venture  was  in  merchandising, 
which  he  carried  on  until  1857,  when  he  removed  to  Illinois  and 
settled  at  Mount  Vernon.  He  there  conducted  a  grocery  store  with 
success  until  1862,  when  he  assisted  in  raising  Company  E  of  the 
Eightieth  Regiment  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  of  which  he  was 
elected  second  lieutenant.  He  accompanied  his  regiment  to  Louis- 
ville, but  in  September  was  detached  to  the  Fourth  United  States 
Battery  and  placed  in  charge  of  a  section.  He  remained  with  this 
command  until  the  battle  of  Perryville,  where  it  was  so  decimated 
and  shattered  as  to  necessitate  its  disbandment.  Lieutenant  Pavey 
was  ordered  to  report  to  General  McCook,  but  soon  obtained  per- 
mission to  rejoin  his  company  with  which  he  remained  until  the  ar- 
rival at  Murfreesboro,  where  he  was  ordered  to  brigade  head- 
quarters for  staff  duty.  He  served  as  brigade  inspector  until  the 
spring  of  1863,  when  the  expedition  of  General  Straight  was  or- 
ganized to  raid  in  the  rear  of  Bragg's  army.  When  reaching  Nash- 
ville, he  was  placed  in  command  of  a  battery  and  participated  in  the 
battle  of  Lone  Mountain,  in  Alabama,  where  he  was  wounded  and 
left  on  the  field.  Being  captured  by  the  enemy  he  was  confined  for 
a  time  in  prison  at  Knoxville  and  other  places,  but  finally  sent  to 
Libby.  He  spent  twenty-two  and  a  half  months  in  this  dismal  den 
and  was  held  with  five  other  officers  as  hostages.  At  one  time  they 
were  sentenced  to  death  and  were  placed  in  close  confinement  in  a 
cell  under  the  prison  for  one  hundred  and  five  days.  After  this  they 
were  sent  to  the  North  Carolina  Military  Penitentiary,  where  they 
remained  until  the  outbreak  of  the  prisoners  in  1 864  when  they  were 
removed  to  Danville,  Virginia.  Charged  as  one  of  the  instigators 
of  the  outbreak,  he  again  fell  under  suspicion  of  a  similar  offense  at 
Danville,  which  resulted  in  his  being  placed  under  a  heavy  guard 
and  again  sent  to  Richmond,  where  he  was  removed  in  the  same  old 


598  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

cell  in  close  confinement.  This  was  his  sad  fate  until  February, 
1865,  when  they  were  exchanged,  as  the  parties  for  whom  they 
were  held  were  not  executed.  The  exchange  was  brought  about 
by  Generals  Oglesby  and  Logan,  assisted  by  friends  of  the  parties 
on  the  other  side.  Upon  his  arrival  at  Washington  President  Lin- 
coln granted  him  a  leave  of  absence  and  a  permit  to  visit  the  South- 
ern prisons.  After  the  battle  of  Nashville  he  reported  to  General 
Thomas  for  duty,  but  being  deemed  unfit  for  active  field  work,  he 
was  ordered  to  report  to  General  Rousseau  for  light  duty.  He  re- 
mained there  until  the  close  of  the  war,  when  he  returned  to  Mount 
Vernon  and  engaged  in  the  milling,  grain  and  general  merchandising 
business,  which  he  followed  until  the  spring  of  1 880,  when  the  firm 
sold  out  to  Stratton,  Ferguson  &  Company. 

In  1882  General  Pavey  was  appointed  by  President  Arthur 
Collector  of  Internal  Revenue  for  the  Thirteenth  Illinois  District, 
with  headquarters  at  Cairo.  He  was  one  of  the  delegates  from  the 
Nineteenth  District  to  the  Republican  National  Convention  and 
which  nominated  Garfield  and  Arthur.  He  was  also  a  delegate  to 
the  National  Convention  in  1876,  being  one  of  the  faithful  sup- 
porters of  General  Grant  in  the  memorable  contest  for  the  nomina- 
tion for  President  for  the  third  term.  He  was  a  candidate  for  Con- 
gress against  R.  W.  Townsend,  but  his  party  being  in  the  minority, 
he  was  defeated.  He  was  appointed  by  Governor  Cullen  com- 
mander of  the  Third  Brigade  of  the  Illinois  National  Guard,  lo- 
cated on  and  south  of  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad  and  held  this 
position  for  years  with  the  title  of  general.  In  1 888  General  Pavey 
was  elected  State  Auditor  and  served  in  that  office  for  four  years. 
After  retiring  President  McKinley  gave  him  the  appointment  as 
examiner  for  the  United  States  Court,  in  which  position  he  served 
until  1907  and  resigned. 

General  Pavey  married  Isabella  F.,  daughter  of  Joel  Pace,  a 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  599 

well  known  pioneer  citizen  of  Jefferson  county.  Their  children  are : 
Eugene  M.  Pavey,  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  automobiles  at 
Houston,  Texas;  Louis  C.  Pavey,  cashier  of  the  Ham  National 
Bank  of  Mount  Vernon;  Neil  P.  Pavey  is  in  the  real  estate  busi- 
ness at  San  Francisco;  Misses  Mabel  and  Alice  Pavey,  at  home. 
General  and  Mrs.  Pavey  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  the  entire  family  enjoy  a  high  social  position. 


THOMAS  J.  MATHEWS. 

Holding  a  distinctive  prestige  among  the  representative  busi- 
ness men  of  Mount  Vernon,  and  in  many  ways  an  influential  force 
in  moulding  and  directing  public  sentiment.  Thomas  J.  Mathews, 
hardware  merchant,  is  entitled  to  specific  mention  in  this  work.  He 
was  born  at  Grayville,  White  county,  Illinois,  on  February  25, 
1856,  the  son  of  Thomas  Mathews,  a  native  of  Ireland,  who  came 
to  America  in  1828,  being  then  fourteen  years  of  age.  He  made 
his  way  to  Grayville  and  in  time  established  himself  in  the  grocery 
business,  continuing  in  that  vocation  in  the  same  town  until  his  death, 
in  1889.  Our  subject's  mother,  Eliza  (Jacobs)  Mathews,  was  born 
in  the  neighboring  state  of  Indiana,  and  was  descended  from  English 
ancestry.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Daniel  R.  Jacobs,  one  of  the 
early  school  teachers  of  White  county,  Illinois  She  passed  to  her 
reward  in  1 897,  and  was  the  mother  of  seven  children,  six  of  whom 
are  still  living,  Mary  and  Ella  are  at  home.  The  next  in  order  of 
birth  was  Thomas  J.,  our  subject;  he  and  James  F.  now  living  at 
Mitchell,  Indiana,  are  twins;  George  D.,  of  Grayville,  Illinois,  and 
Mrs.  L.  L.  Emmerson,  of  Mount  Vernon. 

Mr.  Mathews  spent  his  early  life  at  Grayville,  Illinois,  where 


600  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO..  ILL. 

he  attended  the  city  school  until  completing  the  work  in  the  grades. 
As  a  lad  he  was  of  a  studious  turn  of  mind,  and  viewed  things  from 
the  practical  standpoint,  and  these  characteristics  have  in  a  measure 
clung  to  him  in  his  years  of  maturity.  He  became  associated  with  his 
father  in  the  grocery  business  and  continued  in  that  line  for  several 
years.  For  four  years,  from  1 885  to  1 889,  under  Cleveland's  first 
administration,  he  served  as  postmaster  at  Grayville,  and  operated 
a  book  store  in  connection  with  his  official  duties  Following  the 
term  in  the  post-office  Mr.  Mathews  became  County  Treasurer  and 
Collector  of  White  county,  taking  his  residence  at  Carmi,  the  coun- 
ty seat.  His  four  years  of  service  in  this  office  were  marked  with 
his  usual  energy  and  integrity,  and  the  affairs  of  the  county  were 
carefully  and  economically  managed. 

In  1895  Mr.  Mathews  came  to  Mount  Vernon  and  went  into 
the  hardware  business  with  Mr.  Hinman,  by  purchasing  the  interest 
of  Mr.  Moyer,  who  had  previously  been  a  member  of  the  firm. 
Since  taking  up  this  work  the  business  has  not  only  prospered,  but 
has  become  greatly  extended.  A  full  stock  is  constantly  maintained, 
and  courteous  treatment  as  well  as  skill  in  discerning  the  demands 
of  the  trade  has  brought  a  substantial  patronge. 

In  addition  to  the  ready  and  active  discharge  of  the  many 
duties  devolving  upon  him  Mr.  Mathews  has  taken  a  leading  part  in 
the  social  and  civic  movements.  He  was  captain  of  Company  A 
of  the  Ninth  Regular  Illinois  National  Guard  while  residing  in 
Grayville,  being  appointed  by  Gov.  Shelby  M.  Cullom.  This  posi- 
tion he  held  for  five  years,  and  then  resigned  as  his  business  affairs 
were  such  that  he  could  not  spare  the  time  for  the  proper  discharge 
of  the  necessary  duties.  His  enterprise  and  public  spirit,  however, 
were  recognized  by  his  neighbors  and  friends,  and  he  was  chosen 
for  several  terms  as  president  of  the  Carnegie  Library  Association, 
of  Mount  Vernon,  and  did  effective  work.     The  Retail  Hardware 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  601 

Dealers'  Association  chose  him  as  their  president  during  the  years 
1907-1908,  and  this  appointment  has  met  with  the  most  hearty  sup- 
port of  the  association. 

One  of  the  leading  forces  in  the  recent  years  in  the  way  of 
educating  the  people  and  in  moulding  public  opinion  is  the  Chautau- 
qua movement,  as  generally  engaged  in  now  in  the  Middle  West. 
Mr.  Mathews  has  been  made  president  of  the  Mount  Vernon  Chau- 
tauqua Association,  and  great  confidence  is  placed  in  his  executive 
ability  and  high  standard  of  moral  excellence.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  fraternity  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  belongs  to  the  Presbyterian 
church,  thus  rounding  out  a  many  sided  and  useful  career  as  a 
citizen. 


FRED  P.  WATSON. 


Deeds  are  thoughts  crystalized  and  according  to  their  bril- 
liancy and  luster  do  we  judge  of  the  worth  of  an  individual  to  the 
community  in  which  he  lives.  The  study  of  the  life  of  the  progres- 
sive business  man  and  public-spirited  citizen,  seldom  fails  to  offer 
much  of  pleasing  interest  and  valuable  instruction.  The  subject  of 
this  review,  who  is  the  head  of  one  of  the  largest  business  firms  of 
Mount  Vernon,  Illinois,  and  a  man  of  much  more  than  local  repute 
in  industrial  and  commercial  circles,  affords  a  striking  example  of  the 
type  of  American  character  and  progressive  spirit  which  conserves 
public  interest  while  promoting  individual  enterprise  and  success. 

Fred  P.  Watson  is  a  representative  of  the  best  elements  of 
western  and  eastern  life,  inheriting  as  he  does  the  sturdy  character- 
istics and  sterling  qualities  for  which  his  ancestors  on  both  sides  of 
the  family  were  distinguished,  his  father  having  been  a  native  of  Illi- 
nois, and  his  mother  of  New  England.     He  was  born  July  22, 


602  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill. 

1 865,  in  Mount  Vernon,  being  one  of  four  children  whose  parents 
Samuel  H.  and  Anna  A.  (Goetschius)  Watson,  who  are  mentioned 
elsewhere  in  these  pages,  and  spent  his  childhood  and  youth  in  the 
city  of  his  birth,  receiving  early  in  life  the  instructions  which  made 
for  practical  mental  development  and  strength  of  character  which 
formed  the  foundation  of  his  subsequent  career  as  one  of  the  most 
successful  and  influential  business  men  in  the  southern  part  of  his 
native  commonwealth. 

In  due  time  he  became  a  pupil  of  the  schools  and  after  attend- 
ing the  same  until  finishing  the  prescribed  course  of  study,  entered  a 
college  in  St.  Louis,  where  he  made  substantial  progress  in  the  higher 
branches  of  learning  and  earned  an  honorable  record  as  a  diligent 
student  of  the  higher  branches  of  learning.  At  an  early  age  he  be- 
came interested  in  business  pursuits  and  after  receiving  a  valuable 
practical  training  under  the  direction  of  his  father,  subsequently  be- 
came associated  with  the  latter  in  the  handling  of  implements,  pianos, 
and  organs,  the  firm  thus  constituted  becoming  in  due  time  the  most 
successful  of  the  kind  in  Mount  Vernon,  and  earned  for  the  partners 
a  wide  reputation  in  commercial  lines  throughout  Illinois  and  other 
states.  Later  the  elder  Watson  retired  from  the  enterprise,  leaving 
the  management  in  the  hands  of  the  junior  member  of  the  firm  who, 
after  a  successful  career  of  ten  years,  affected  a  co-partnership  in 
1890  with  his  brother,  Harry  W.  Watson,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Fred  P.  Watson  &  Brother,  which  continues  and  now  commands  a 
very  extensive  and  lucrative  business,  being  the  largest  and  most  suc- 
cessful enterprise  of  the  kind,  not  only  in  Southern  Illinois,  but  in 
the  entire  Middle  West. 

The  growth  of  this  large  and  far-reaching  establishment  which 
has  been  remarkable  bears  eloquent  testimony  to  the  ability,  judg- 
ment and  reliable  business  policies  of  the  members  of  the  firm  who 
are  classed  among  the  most  enterprising  and  progressive  business  men 


I  '  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  603 

of  their  state,  and  whose  continued  success  thus  far  bespeaks  still 
greater  advancement  in  years  to  come.  Since  1888,  the  year  in 
which  the  enterprise  was  established,  it  has  grown  from  a  modest  be- 
ginning into  a  mammoth  concern,  the  meanwhile  adding  collateral 
branches  of  trade  as  the  patronage  increased  until  at  this  time  the 
business  takes  a  very  wide  range,  including  wholesale  and  retail  deal- 
ing in  pianos,  organs,  piano-players,  music-boxes,  phonographs  and 
many  other  kinds  of  musical  instruments,  also  rubber-tired  novelties, 
buggies,  surreys,  phaetons,  spring,  freight  and  farm  wagons  and 
other  vehicles  in  addition  to  which  the  firm  is  also  among  the  largest 
wholesale  manufacturers  of  harness  in  the  state,  besides  dealing  ex- 
tensively in  saddlery,  collars,  whips,  robes,  dusters,  saddle  blankets, 
pads  of  all  kinds,  brushes,  curry-combs,  turf  goods  and  leather. 

Two  years  after  the  organization  of  the  present  firm  it  suffered 
a  severe  loss  by  fire  but  immediately  thereafter  was  commenced  in  a 
new  and  much  larger  and  more  commodious  building,  which  being 
completed  in  due  time  is  now  one  of  the  finest  and  most  attractive 
structures  in  the  city.  It  is  a  large  three-story  brick  edifice,  with 
thirty  thousand  feet  of  floor  space,  admirably  situated  in  one  of  the 
best  parts  of  the  city  and  furnished  throughout  with  everything  cal- 
culated to  facilitate  business  and  make  it  a  model  of  the  kind.  Ten 
traveling  salesmen  represent  the  firm  on  the  road,  in  addition  to 
whom  a  large  number  of  clerks  and  artisans  are  employed,  the 
growth  of  the  business  being  such  as  to  call  for  extra  men  from  time 
to  time  in  order  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  trade.  In  addition  to 
the  main  house  in  Mount  Vernon  the  firm  has  so  extended  its  inter- 
ests as  to  require  a  number  of  branch  houses,  the  most  important  of 
which  at  the  present  time  are  at  Paducah,  Kentucky;  Marion,  Her- 
rin  and  Carbondale,  Illinois,  all  doing  a  profitable  business  and 
steadily  growing  in  magnitude  and  importance.  The  firm  prestige 
it  has  gained  in  industrial  circles  has  given  it  an  influence  second  to 


604  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill, 

that  of  no  other  house  of  the  kind  in  the  country.  Both  members  are 
accompHshed  business  men  whose  abihty  has  long  been  recognized 
and  appreciated  and  whose  judgment  in  matters  connected  with  their 
various  hnes  of  trade  is  seldom  if  ever  at  fault. 

Fred  P.  Watson  is  a  gentleman  of  high  character  and  unim- 
peachable integrity  and  the  continuous  growth  and  success  of  the 
firm  is  largely  due  to  his  fine  executive  ability  and  familiarity  with 
broad  views  of  men  and  things,  believes  in  progress  in  all  the  term 
broad  views  of  men  and  things,  believes  in  progress  in  all  the  term 
implies  and  realizing  the  need  of  the  public,  has  endeavored  by  every 
legitimate  means  within  his  power  to  meet  the  same  and  at  the  same 
time  build  up  a  business  which  shall  redound  to  his  own  financial 
success  and  add  to  his  reputation  and  influence  as  one  of  the  leaders 
in  a  branch  of  trade  which  has  done  much  for  the  advancement  of 
his  city  and  given  it  an  honorable  standing  among  the  important  busi- 
ness centers  of  the  state. 

Aside  from  his  immediate  industrial  and  commendable  interest, 
Mr.  Watson  is  connected  with  other  enterprises,  being  a  director  of 
the  Ham  National  Bank  of  Mount  Vernon,  and  for  a  number  of 
years  a  heavy  stockholder  in  the  same,  also  a  stockholder  in  the 
Third  National  Bank,  besides  owning  stock  in  various  local  indus- 
tries which  he  helped  promote  and  the  success  of  which  is  largely 
due  to  his  untiring  efforts.  Not  only  in  the  business  world  has  he 
demonstrated  his  judgment  and  discrimination  but  also  in  the  social 
life  of  Mount  Vernon,  where  he  is  recognized  as  a  forceful  factor 
and  leader,  whose  efforts  have  contributed  materially  to  the  welfare 
of  the  city  and  the  happiness  of  the  people.  Although  long  in  the 
public  view  he  is  destined  to  occupy  a  still  larger  place  in  the  sphere 
of  endeavor  to  which,  in  the  main,  his  attention  has  been  devoted  and 
to  take  a  more  active  and  prominent  part  in  the  affairs  of  his  fellow 
men  in  years  to  come  than  in  time  gone  by. 


'  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  605 

Mr.  Watson  is  a  thirty-second  degree  Mason  and  stands  high 
in  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  brethren  of  the  Mystic  Tie  in  the 
local  lodges  with  which  he  holds  membership  and  throughout  the 
state.  He  is  also  a  Shriner,  Knights  Templar,  a  member  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias.  He  is  a  Republican  and  well  informed  con- 
cerning the  principles  and  history  of  his  party,  but  he  is  by  no  means 
a  politician  in  the  sense  the  term  is  usually  mentioned,  nevertheless  he 
discharges  the  duties  of  citizenship  as  becomes  a  true  American  and 
is  ever  ready  to  maintain  the  soundness  of  his  opinions  and  support  his 
favorite  candidates.  He  is  a  member  of  the  First  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church  and  has  been  the  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school 
of  his  church  for  years  and  is  otherwise  active  in  church  work. 

The  domestic  life  of  Mr.  Watson  dates  from  July  31,1 906, 
when  he  was  happily  married  to  Miss  Alenia  Johnson,  of  Mount 
Vernon,  daughter  of  Dr.  A.  C.  Johnson,  one  of  the  city's  successful 
physicians  and  surgeons  and  trustworthy  citizens,  the  union  bemg 
without  issue.  Believing  in  using  the  good  things  of  this  world  to 
useful  and  practical  ends  Mr.  Watson  has  surrounded  himself  with 
many  of  the  comforts  and  luxuries  of  life,  not  the  least  being  a  pleas- 
ant and  attractive  home,  which  is  the  abode  of  ideal  domestic  happi- 
ness and  the  center  of  a  gracious  and  generous  hospitality  which  is 
liberally  dispensed  to  all  who  cross  the  threshold. 


GEORGE  WARREN  FAIRCHILD. 

A  careful  inspection  of  the  conditions  that  surround  the 
growing  boys  and  girls  of  our  land  have  led  many  to  the  conclusion 
that  there  is  no  place  better  adapted  for  the  development  of  true 
and  noble  manhood  than  the  farm,  where  all  the  social  virtues,  re- 


606  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co.,  ill.  ' 

ligious  sentiments  and  patriotic  impulses  culminate  in  a  citizenship 
noted  for  sterling  worth  and  strength  of  character.  As  a  general 
thing  the  life  on  the  farm  is  uneventful  inasmuch  as  the  farmer  is 
confined  to  the  one  business  of  tilling  the  soil,  which  of  itself  is  a 
close  and  exacting  occupation.  But  unless  their  work  is  done  there 
can  be  no  progress,  and  the  wheels  in  other  departments  will  soon 
cease  to  turn  if  the  work  of  the  plow,  the  binder  and  reaper  should 
stop  for  a  season.  Therefore,  though  a  quiet  unassuming  class,  the 
farmer  is  indispensable,  and  everyone  who  has  contributed  to  this  line 
has  not  only  helped  himself  but  the  whole  community  as  well. 

George  Warren  Fairchild,  of  Blissville  township,  Jefferson 
county,  is  one  of  the  many  to  whom  the  above  remarks  apply. .  He 
was  born  in  this  township  on  the  1 8th  of  August,  1 859.  His  father, 
Eli  Fairchild,  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  while  his  mother,  Sarah 
(Place)  Fairchild,  was  born  in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  and  died 
September  28,  1875.  Eli  Fairchild  was  born  December  1  1,  1829, 
and  departed  this  life  December  1 ,  1 907.  These  parents  married 
in  this  county  and  settled  in  Blissville  township,  where  they  lived 
until  the  close  of  their  days.  Ten  children  were  born  into  the  fam- 
ily, of  whom  our  subject  was  the  second. 

He  has  brought  up  on  the  farm  and  received  his  education  in 
the  common  schools  of  the  vicinity,  and  as  he  grew  to  maturity  chose 
farming  as  his  occupation  in  life.  He  was  married  September  12, 
1 880,  to  Miss  Maggie  Gilbert,  daughter  of  James  and  Rebecca  Gil- 
bert, respected  residents  of  Blissville  township.  This  union,  though 
happy  and  harmonious,  was  broken  by  the  death  of  Mrs.  Fairchild, 
October  21,  1885.  She  was  the  mother  of  two  children:  Lola, 
who  became  the  wife  of  Joseph  Fagan,  and  May,  who  married 
Mella  Orr,  of  Los  Angeles,  California. 

Mr.  Fairchild's  second  marriage  occurred  September  1 4,  1 886, 
when  he  was  united  with  Miss  Anna  E.  Smith,  of  McClellan  town- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  607 

ship.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Vincent  and  Mary  Smith,  and  was 
born  October  7,  1861.  She  has  become  the  mother  of  eight  chil- 
dren, five  of  whom  are  living,  viz.,  Georgia,  Walter,  Arthur,  Vesta 
and  Willard.  Three  sons  are  deceased,  Fred  having  reached  the 
age  of  eleven  years,  Charles  six,  and  one  son  who  died  in  infancy. 
Mr.  Fairchild  operates  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  forty  acres, 
almost  all  of  which  is  under  cultivation,  with  good  buildings  and 
modern  equipment.  He  takes  an  active  interest  in  promoting  the 
welfare  and  excellent  public  spirit  of  the  neighborhood. 


SAMUEL  H.  WATSON. 

The  subject  of  this  review  is  a  member  of  one  of  the  oldest  and 
best  known  families  of  Jefferson  county,  the  name  of  which  for  many 
years  has  stood  for  all  that  is  noble  and  upright  in  manhood  and 
womanhood,  and  honorable  in  citizenship.  Dr.  John  Watson,  the 
subject's  grandfather,  was  born  in  Maryland,  and  in  an  early 
day  removed  with  his  parents  to  Virginia,  where  he  grew  to 
maturity  and  received  an  education.  After  reading  medicine  under 
the  direction  of  a  local  physician,  he  entered  Jefferson  Medical  Col- 
lege, Philadelphia,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  due  time  and 
then  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  which  he  achieved  dis- 
tinction, and  which  he  followed  with  marked  success  to  the  end  of 
his  life.  About  1803  he  married  Frances  Pace,  and  in  1811  moved 
to  Bourbon  county,  Kentucky,  subsequently  changing  his  abode  to 
the  county  of  Pendleton,  where  he  resided  until  1 82 1 .  In  the  latter 
year  the  family  migrated  to  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  making  the 
journey  overland  in  a  two-horse  wagon,  which  held  besides  the  wife 
and  children  all  their  earthly  possessions.    They  met  with  many  ad- 


608  wall's  history  of  jefferson  co..  ill. 

ventures  on  the  way  and  experienced  no  little  fear  from  the  wild  ani- 
mals which  nightly  surrounded  their  camp  and  made  the  air  hideous 
with  their  dismal  howling.  Arriving  at  his  destination.  Doctor  Wat- 
son first  settled  on  a  farm  at  what  is  known  as  Mulberry  Hill,  where 
he  remained  one  year  at  the  end  of  which  period  he  moved  to  a 
place  on  the  Vandalia  road,  one  and  one-half  miles  from  Mount 
Vernon,  where  he  lived  for  a  number  of  years,  dividing  his  time  be- 
tween the  cultivation  of  the  soil  and  the  practice  of  his  profession. 

To  Doctor  Watson  belongs  the  unique  distinction  of  being  the 
first  physician  in  Jefferson  county  and  it  is  needless  to  state  that  he 
was  kept  quite  busy  attending  to  his  patients,  frequently  riding  horse- 
back as  far  as  fifty  and  one  hundred  miles  from  home  in  answer  to 
urgent  calls  in  critical  cases.  Doctor  Watson  was  of  Welsh  descent 
and  a  man  of  unswerving  honesty  and  integrity,  as  well  as  a  physi- 
cian of  much  more  than  ordinary  knowledge  and  skill.  He  lived  a 
life  fraught  with  great  good  to  his  fellow  men  and  was  called  from 
scenes  of  his  labors  and  triumphs  June  3,  1845. 

John  H.  Watson,  son  of  the  above  and  father  of  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Virginia  in  the  year  1805.  When  six 
years  old  he  was  taken  to  Kentucky  by  his  parents,  later  accom- 
panied the  family  to  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  where  he  grew  to 
manhood's  estate  and  received  such  an  education  as  the  indifferent 
subscription  schools  of  the  times  afforded.  In  1827  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  Rankin,  after  which  he  worked  at  the  trade  of  car- 
pentry and  in  due  time  became  one  of  the  best  known  contractors 
and  builders  in  his  section  of  the  country.  He  served  twenty-four 
consecutive  years  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  and  one  term  as  County 
Treasurer,  in  both  of  which  capacities  he  acquitted  himself  with 
ability  and  honor.  John  H.  Watson  was  one  of  the  pillars  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  Mount  Vernon,  a  leading  spirit  in 
the  organization  of  the  society  and  his  daily  life  was  always  con- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  609 

sistent  with  his  religious  profession.  He  was  a  Democrat  in  poHtics 
as  his  father  had  been,  became  one  of  the  leaders  of  his  party  in  Jef- 
ferson county  and  as  already  stated  was  honored  by  his  fellow  citi- 
zens with  important  official  positions  as  a  reward  for  valuable  po- 
litical services.  He  departed  this  life  on  September  26,  1 860,  and 
was  buried  by  the  Masonic  fraternity,  of  which  he  had  long  been 
an  honored  member.  Mrs.  Watson  was  a  native  of  Tennessee  and 
belonged  to  one  of  the  pioneer  families  of  Jefferson  county.  She 
bore  her  husband  nine  children,  among  whom  was  Samuel  H.  Wat- 
son, the  subject  of  this  sketch,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Mount  Ver- 
non, Illinois,  on  the  5th  day  of  November,  1838. 

The  childhood  of  Samuel  H.  Watson  was  spent  in  his  native 
town,  and  when  ten  years  old  he  went  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  where 
he  accepted  a  clerkship  in  a  business  house,  serving  in  that  capacity 
until  his  eighteenth  year.  Leaving  that  city  he  went  to  Tamaroa, 
Illinois,  where  he  clerked  until  1860,  at  which  time  he  returned  to 
Mount  Vernon  and  the  following  years  was  similarly  engaged  with 
a  mercantile  firm  of  the  latter  place.  When  the  National  skies  be- 
came overcast  with  the  ominous  clouds  of  approaching  Civil  war, 
Mr.  Watson  was  among  the  first  of  the  patriotic  young  men  of  Jef- 
ferson county  to  respond  to  the  call  of  the  government  in  its  efforts  to 
arrest  the  rising  tide  of  rebellion.  In  the  summer  of  1861  he  enlisted 
in  Company  G,  Fortieth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  entering  the 
service  as  a  private,  later  rising  to  the  position  of  quarter-master  ser- 
geant, and  on  April  1,  1862,  was  promoted  second  lieutenant  in 
which  capacity  he  served  until  made  first  lieutenant  the  year  follow- 
ing. In  January,  1863,  he  was  detailed  to  act  as  aide  on  the  staff 
of  the  general  commanding  and  on  March  5,  1864,  for  fair  and  gal- 
lant conduct,  he  was  promoted  to  the  captaincy  of  his  company, 
still  later  being  appointed  inspector  of  the  brigade,  which  position  he 
held  until  the  close  of  the  war  and  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  he 
39 


610  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

made  a  record  of  which  any  soldier  might  well  feel  proud.  Mr. 
Watson  was  with  his  command  through  all  of  its  varied  experiences 
of  war,  participating  in  many  noted  campaigns,  thrilling  scenes  and 
famous  battles,  among  the  more  important  of  which  were  Shiloh, 
siege  and  capture  of  Vicksburg,  Knoxville,  Missionary  Ridge,  Jack- 
son, Mississippi;  the  various  engagements  around  Atlanta,  thence 
marched  with  Sherman  to  the  sea  and  at  the  close  of  the  war  was 
discharged  with  a  record  of  duty  bravely  and  uncomplainingly  per- 
formed, which  he  regards  as  a  priceless  possession. 

After  his  discharge  Mr.  Watson  returned  home  and  for  a  short 
time  was  in  the  drug  business  at  Mount  Vernon,  subsequently  em- 
barking in  the  clothing  trade,  which  he  conducted  with  fair  success 
for  about  one  and  a  half  years.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time  he 
went  to  the  West  and  during  the  following  eleven  years  dealt  in  live 
stock  at  Ashley,  Washington,  in  connection  with  which  he  handled 
agricultural  implements  and  machinery,  besides  devoting  consider- 
able attention  to  mining.  Disposing  of  his  interests  at  that  place  in 
1 879  he  once  more  returned  to  his  native  county  and  opened  an  im- 
plement store  in  Mount  Vernon,  which  has  since  grown  into  one  of 
the  most  successful  business  enterprises  in  Southern  Illinois,  consist- 
ing at  the  present  time  of  various  lines  of  manufacture,  in  connection 
with  an  immense  wholesale  and  retail  trade  in  a  large  number  of 
articles,  including  all  kinds  of  carriages,  freight  and  farm  vehicles, 
buggies,  surreys,  phaetons,  pianos,  organs  and  many  other  kinds  of 
musical  instruments,  leather  goods,  harness,  collars,  robes,  dusters, 
brushes,  turf  goods  and  other  articles.  This  large  and  growing 
business  is  now  under  the  management  of  Harry  W.  and  Fred  P. 
Watson,  sons  of  the  subject  and  among  the  most  enterprising  and 
successful  business  men  in  the  state  (see  sketch  of  F.  P.  Watson 
and  Harry  W.  Watson.) 

Mr.  Watson  was  married  October   1 ,   1 860,  to  Miss  Anna 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  61  1 

Goetchius,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  daughter  of  Isaac  D.  and 
Ehzabeth  Goetchius,  both  parents  born  in  the  state  of  New  York. 
The  two  sons  already  mentioned  constitute  the  family  of  the  subject, 
Fred  P.,  born  July  22,  1865,  and  Harry  W.,  who  first  saw  the 
light  of  day  on  December  1 6,  1 867. 

Mr.  Watson  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  brotherhood  of  An- 
cient Free  and  Accepted  Masons;  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of 
the  Republic,  and  a  pillar  in  the  Methodist  church,  as  was  his  father 
before  him,  and  is  also  his  wife.  No  man  has  ever  proven  himself 
more  loyal  to  his  country,  his  church,  and  orders,  nor  one  more  faith- 
ful to  the  best  interest  of  his  native  town  and  county. 

Being  patriotic,  progressive  and  up-to-date  in  everything,  he 
naturally  espoused  the  cause  of  Republicanism  in  early  life  and  im- 
mediately was  made  a  leader,  always  proving  himself  a  wise  coun- 
selor and  a  safe  leader.  For  many  years  he  was  at  the  head  of  the 
party  in  Jefferson  county,  and  under  his  leadership,  old  Jefferson 
achieved  her  first  and  nearly  all  her  subsequent  victories.  He  did 
not  aspire  to  office  himself;  but  was  always  ready  to  help  other 
worthy  men  to  positions  of  honor  and  trust.  Without  solicitation  on 
his  part  he  was  placed  on  the  Republican  ticket  as  a  candidate  for 
Representative  and  was  triumphantly  elected  by  a  large  majority  in 
a  Democratic  district — carrying  his  own  county,  which  was  Demo- 
cratic, by  an  overwhelming  vote. 

As  a  Representative  he  achieved  a  state-wide  reputation  as  a 
safe  man  in  public  life,  and  he  was  placed  on  the  state  Republican 
committee  and  kept  there  as  long  as  he  would  consent  to  serve.  He 
was  also  a  member  of  some  of  the  most  important  legislative  com- 
mittees. 

In  1891  he  was  made  Mayor  of  his  native  city  and  it  was  he 
who  inaugurated  the  improvement  system  of  making  granitoid  side- 
walks and  bricked  streets,  which  has  made  Mount  Vernon  the  best 


612  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

city  in  Southern  Illinois — one  which  can  be  pointed  to  with  pride. 
At  the  time  he  bricked  the  square  and  laid  the  granitoid  walks  he 
was  strenuously  opposed  by  many ;  but  now  is  highly  praised  by  all 
for  his  grit  and  foresight. 

He  afterwards  served  two  terms  as  postmaster  of  his  native 
city  and  as  such  he  secured  free  mail  delivery  for  both  city  and  coun- 
try, besides  many  other  improvements,  which  facts  are  noted  on  an- 
other page  of  this  book,  dealing  with  the  local  post-office. 

Captain  Watson  was  a  chief  promoter  in  many  of  the  utilities 
of  Mount  Vernon — in  the  canning  and  knitting  factories — in  the  es- 
tablishments of  the  Loan  and  Savings  Bank  and  other  important 
improvements. 

Among  the  many  useful  citizens  of  Mount  Vernon,  during  its 
ninety  years  of  existence,  none  rank  higher  or  will  be  more  gratefully 
remembered  than  Captain  Samuel  H.  Watson. 


RYND  L.  STRATTON. 


There  were  not  many  Abolitionists  in  old  Virginia  during 
the  first  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  century,  but  David  Stratton's 
father  was  one  of  them  and  when  he  left  Lynchburg  to  seek  a  new 
home  in  the  Buckeye  state,  he  brought  his  slaves  along  wath  him  and 
after  reaching  Ohio,  gave  them  their  liberty.  At  a  later  period 
David  Stratton  removed  to  West  Liberty,  Iowa,  where  he  died  at 
the  age  of  seventy-four.  He  was  a  Quaker,  and  like  all  others  of 
that  faith,  hated  slavery  with  all  his  heart.  His  son,  Stephen  T. 
Stratton,  was  born  in  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  but  in  1857  removed  to 
Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  where  he  engaged  in  business  as  a  dry 
goods  merchant.     He  was  a  progressive  and  energetic  man  with  ad- 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  613 

vanced  ideas  and  enlarged  views  as  the  results  of  which  qualities  he 
achieved  financial  success  and  prominence.  He  was  also  patriotic 
and  when  the  call  to  arms  came  in  1861,  he  raised  a  company  for 
the  war,  of  which  he  was  elected  captain.  It  became  Company  E, 
of  the  Eightieth  Regiment,  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  did 
good  service  at  the  front.  After  the  war  Mr.  Stratton  resumed  the 
mercantile  business,  which  he  conducted  successfully  until  his  death 
in  1 898.  He  married  Nancy  Jane  Lawder,  whose  parents  came  in 
an  early  day  from  Campbell  county,  Virginia,  to  Highland  county, 
Ohio,  where  they  settled  in  the  vicinity  of  Hillsboro.  Mrs.  Stratton 
ended  her  life  at  this  Ohio  home  some  sixty  years  ago,  after  becom- 
ing the  mother  of  four  children,  all  of  whom  reached  maturity.  The 
list  includes:  Rynd  L.,  subject  of  this  sketch;  David  F.,  of  Jefferson 
county;  Augustus  M.,  deceased;  Amelia  R.,  wife  of  Dr.  A.  C. 
Johnson,  of  Mount  Vernon.  The  following  were  by  a  second  mar- 
riage: Mary  Virginia,  deceased  wife  of  Robert  F.  Pace;  Charles 
T.,  deceased;  Emma  Lucinda,  wife  of  James  A.  Copeland,  of  Gar- 
dena,  California,  and  Anna  Gertrude,  deceased. 

Rynd  L.  Stratton,  the  eldest  of  this  family,  was  born  in  Clin- 
ton county,  Ohio,  January  17,  1841,  and  was  fourteen  years  old 
when  his  father  came  to  Mount  Vernon.  The  family  first  located 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  state  and  remained  there  two  years  be- 
fore removing  to  Jefferson  county. 

Rynd  had  but  a  limited  education,  most  of  it  obtained  in  the 
common  school  of  Ohio,  but  after  reaching  Illinois  acquired  some 
practical  business  experience  by  clerking  in  his  father's  store.  In  June, 
1867,  he  engaged  in  the  hardware  business  on  his  own  account  on 
the  south  side  of  the  square  in  Mount  Vernon,  but  since  August  8th 
of  that  year  has  occupied  his  present  room.  He  is  one  of  the  oldest 
as  well  as  one  of  the  best  of  Mount  Vernon's  many  popular  mer- 
chants.    His  line  is  general  hardware  and  the  various  kinds  of  im- 


614  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

plements,  in  the  sale  of  which  he  has  long  enjoyed  a  widely  extended 
patronage.  Besides  his  regular  business,  he  owns  a  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  thirty  acres  near  town,  to  which  he  devotes  consider- 
able attention.  He  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Mount  Vernon  Car  Com- 
pany and  a  director  in  the  Ham  National  Bank.  He  owns  a  hand- 
some home  in  the  city,  besides  his  business  building,  which  contains 
fourteen  hundred  feet  of  Hoor  space,  and  other  rental  property. 
When  his  father  went  into  the  Civil  war,  he  took  with  him  his  sons, 
Augustus  M.  and  David  F.,  the  latter  of  whom  was  captured  in 
Streight's  raid  and  thrown  into  Libby  prison.  Captain  Stratton 
urged  his  son  Rynd  to  remain  at  home  to  take  care  of  the  business 
and  younger  children. 

Mr.  Stratton  has  been  married  twice.  In  May,  1864,  he  es- 
poused Miss  Matilda  Wiley,  daughter  of  a  Presbyterian  minister, 
by  which  union  there  was  one  child,  Stephen  W.,  deceased.  The 
mother  died  in  September,  1865,  and  on  August  8,  1867,  Mr. 
Stratton  chose  his  second  wife  in  the  person  of  Mary  L.,  daughter 
of  James  K.  Jones,  of  Southern  Indiana.  The  children  by  this  mar- 
riage are:  Keith  T.,  associated  with  his  father  in  the  hardware  store; 
Olivia  P.,  wife  of  W.  W.  Swift,  of  Mount  Vernon;  and  Chauncey 
L.,  who  also  holds  a  position  in  the  store.  Mr.  Stratton  is  a  Knight 
Templar  Mason  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  First  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  for  fifty-one  years,  having  deposited  his  letter 
when  he  first  reached  Mount  Vernon.  He  is  president  of  the  board 
of  trustees  and  active  in  all  that  concerns  the  welfare  of  his  religious 
organization.  Mr.  Stratton  was  the  pioneer  hardware  merchant  of 
Mount  Vernon,  his  store  being  the  first  established  in  the  town,  when 
it  was  much  smaller  than  it  is  now. 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL.  615 

J.  O.  BECK. 

The  present  is  essentially  an  age  in  which  the  young  man  pre- 
dominates and  in  every  professional  vocation,  especially  in  those  re- 
quiring energy  and  executive  ability  they  are  very  much  in  evidence. 
In  this  connection  the  writer  takes  pleasure  in  presenting  the  chrono- 
logical facts  in  the  career  of  one  of  the  leading  young  business  men 
of  Jefferson  county,  a  man  who  by  the  master  strokes  of  genius  rose 
from  obscurity  to  the  management  of  large  and  important  interests 
and  later  by  his  own  initiative  established  an  enterprise  which  gained 
for  him  an  honorable  reputation  not  only  in  his  own  but  in  other 
states  and  paved  the  way  to  the  conspicuous  place  in  the  business 
world  which  he  now  occupies. 

J.  O.  Beck,  manager  of  the  Illinois  Bankers'  Fire  Insurance 
Company,  is  a  native  of  Illinois,  born  in  the  town  of  Braidwood, 
Will  county,  in  June  of  the  year  1881.  John  Beck,  his  father,  was 
born  in  Denmark,  and  at  the  age  of  eight  years  was  apprenticed  to 
learn  the  trade  of  sail  making.  Two  years  later  he  shipped  before  the 
mast  and  until  his  twenty-fifth  year  followed  the  sea,  sailing  during 
that  time  to  all  parts  of  the  globe  and  meeting  with  many  exciting  ex- 
experiences  on  the  world  of  waters.  Retiring  from  the  seas  when 
twenty-five  years  old  he  came  to  the  United  States  and  in  1871  set- 
tled at  Braidwood,  later  engaging  in  the  lumber  and  coal  trade  at 
Harvey,  where  he  still  lives. 

Hannah  Christiansen,  wife  of  John  Beck,  was  also  from  Den- 
mark and  left  that  land  for  America  the  same  year  in  which  her  fu- 
ture husband  came  over.  They  were  married  in  this  country  and 
are  the  parents  of  six  children,  four  of  whom  are  living,  namely: 
Peter,  Charles  and  Frederick,  of  Harvey,  Illinois,  and  J.  O.,  of  this 
review,  who  is  the  third  in  order  of  birth,  and  the  only  one  who  has 
left  the  place  where  he  was  born. 


616  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

J.  O.  Beck  spent  his  early  life  at  Harvey,  where  he  received 
his  educational  training,  graduating  in  1 898  from  the  high  school  of 
that  town.  While  still  a  mere  youth  he  went  into  the  insurance  busi- 
ness at  the  above  named  place,  purchasing  a  local  agency  on  leav- 
ing school  and  in  due  time  becoming  widely  known  in  insurance  cir- 
cles by  reason  of  a  radical  step  such  as  few  much  older  in  years  and 
experience  would  have  attempted.  Shortly  after  taking  charge  of 
the  agency,  upon  being  satisfied  that  a  certain  large  factory  carry- 
ing nearly  a  half  a  million  dollars  insurance,  and  upon  which  his 
companies  carried  sixty-three  thousand  dollars,  was  an  undesirable 
risk,  he  voluntarily  canceled  all  his  insurance  upon  it,  thereby  for- 
feiting the  commission  collected  upon  same  by  his  predecessor.  In 
less  than  five  weeks  after  he  took  this  action,  the  factory  burned,  a 
total  loss,  and  his  companies  had  been  saved  the  sixty-three  thousand 
dollars.  So  pleased  were  the  companies  with  his  action  that  the  vice- 
president  of  the  Continental  Insurance  Company  made  him  assistant 
special  agent  for  Cook  county,  an  honorable  and  responsible  posi- 
tion to  entrust  to  a  youth  but  eighteen  years  of  age. 

After  representing  the  above  company  in  the  territory  assigned 
him  for  one  year,  Mr.  Beck  was  made  special  agent  of  the  Hartford 
Company  for  the  same  field,  which  position  he  held  one  and  a  half 
years,  when  he  was  transferred  to  Southern  Illinois  as  special  agent 
and  adjustor.  After  serving  in  the  latter  capacity  until  the  spring  of 
1906  he  resigned  the  position  and  organized  the  Illinois  Bankers' 
Fire  Insurance  Company  of  Mount  Vernon,  which  was  incorporated 
and  licensed  by  the  State  Insurance  Departtnent  on  August  2d  of 
the  same  year  and  later  by  the  Insurance  Department  of  Michigan 
and  Missouri.  In  due  time  the  company  was  represented  in  all  the 
principal  cities  and  towns  of  the  three  states  by  local  agents  and  it 
was  not  long  until  a  large  volume  of  business  was  built  up  which 
gave  every  promising  future  prosperity  and  permanency.    Owing  to 


wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL,  617 

the  financial  panic  of  the  following  year,  however,  which  very  natur- 
ally interfered  with  the  insurance  business  throughout  the  entire  coun- 
try, and  the  excessive  losses  suffered  by  the  various  companies,  the 
board  of  directors  of  which  Mr.  Beck  was  a  member,  on  September 
26,  1908,  re-insured  all  their  outstanding  business  in  the  Common- 
wealth Insurance  Company  of  Iowa,  thus  rendering  the  policy  hold- 
ers safe  and  giving  them  confidence  in  the  management  under  which 
they  originally  took  insurance. 

Mr.  Beck's  integrity  has  always  been  beyond  cavil  and  his 
business  interests  as  his  every  relation  of  life,  show  a  due  sense  of 
responsibilty  in  harmony  with  the  highest  principles  of  ethics.  Dur- 
ing the  prevalence  of  the  recent  uncertainty  and  distrust  in  business 
and  financial  circles  his  conduct  was  above  criticism  and  all  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact  in  a  business  way  reposed  the  utmost  con- 
fidence in  his  integrity  and  judgment,  and  the  result  is  that  he  has 
since  advanced  to  a  high  place  in  public  esteem  and  is  now  regarded 
as  one  of  the  most  honorable  and  reliable  men  of  his  calling  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  state.  On  being  transferred  to  Southern  Illinois 
by  the  Hartford  Insurance  Company  he  moved  to  Mount  Vernon, 
which  city  he  has  since  made  his  home  and  with  the  growth  and 
prosperity  of  which  he  is  now  very  actively  identified.  He  is  a  stock- 
holder in  the  Jefferson  State  Bank,  besides  being  connected  with 
various  other  local  interests  and  at  one  time  was  district  chairman 
of  the  Illinois  State  Board  of  Fire  Underwriters  comprising  nine 
counties  in  Southern  Illinois. 

In  politics  Mr.  Beck  is,  in  the  main,  independent  with  predilec- 
tions in  favor  of  the  Republican  party  in  state  and  national  issues.  On 
matters  purely  local  he  gives  his  support  to  the  candidates  best  qual- 
ified for  the  offices  to  which  they  aspire.  He  is  of  liberal  ideas,  keeps 
informed  on  the  leading  questions  of  the  day  and  although  firm  in  his 
convictions,  which  are  invariably  well  fortified,  and  fearless  in  the 


618  wall's  history  of  JEFFERSON  CO.,  ILL. 

expression  of  his  opinions  he  is  tolerant  of  the  opinions  of  others  and 
seeks  no  discussion  with  those  holding  views  directly  the  opposite 
of  his  own. 

Mr.  Beck  was  married  September  6,  1902,  to  Miss  Caroline 
H.  Gillette,  daughter  of  the  late  Rev.  C.  B.  Gillette,  of  Harvey, 
Illinois,  the  father  a  native  of  New  York  and  for  many  years  a 
prominent  and  influential  minister  of  Will  and  other  counties,  this 
state.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beck  have  an  interesting  family  of  four  chil- 
dren, whose  names  and  dates  of  birth  are  as  follows:  Carrol,  born 
September  20,  1 903 ;  John,  born  November  8,  1 904 ;  Oscar,  born 
August  1  5,  1906,  and  Hubert  L.,  who  was  born  on  the  23d  day  of 
July,  1 908.  The  subject  and  wife  are  highly  regarded  by  the  peo- 
ple of  their  adopted  city  and  take  much  interest  in  all  that  tends  to 
the  social  and  moral  upbuilding  of  the  community.  Religiously  they 
hold  to  the  Calvinistic  creed  and  their  names  adorn  the  records  of 
the  First  Presbyterian  church  of  Mount  Vernon. 


